The White Lighter
by JEM37
Summary: Sam and Dean find out they have a troubled 9 year old sister named Charleigh with Supernatural powers. Her Mother is murdered and Sam and Dean must protect her from evil and from herself. Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. Warnings: Some mild language and possibly discipline of a minor in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

"Jesus Cas," sighed Dean as he started to take a bite out of his burger while sitting in the front seat of his car. Sam choked on his coffee in surprise. "Can't you give us some warning?" said Dean, with annoyance. Castiel stuck his head between them from the backseat.

"I have news," he replied in all seriousness.

"What is it?" asked Sam.

"You boys have a sister," he began. Dean instantly put down his burger and began to listen intently. "Her name is Charleigh and she is 9 years old," he continued. Sam and Dean could hardly believe what they were hearing, but continued to listen intently. "Her Mother passed away a few days ago. She was an alcoholic and a drug addict, but that is not what caused her death. The child is in danger. Charleigh is a White Lighter and the demons are after her. They murdered her Mother, Veronica."

"White Lighter?" questioned Sam.

"Yes," replied Castiel. "After the child goes through puberty, she will be able to destroy demons quickly and efficiently. However, while she is going through puberty, she is very susceptible to evil. The demons will attempt to kidnap her and keep her until they are sure she has surrendered to evil. If she surrenders and joins evil forces, then she will be able to destroy angels. She will become a Dark Lighter and will be very powerful." Dean took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He had no idea he had a sister and not only did he have a sister, but a sister with supernatural powers. "The child does not know she is in danger," continued Castiel. "But she needs your help."

"Ok," replied Sam, taking it all in.

"Where is she now?" questioned Dean. Castiel handed him a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it.

"She is at this address," he replied. "It is a group home for children awaiting to be placed into foster care."

"We'll go get her," replied Dean. "But then what do we do with her?" He knew how unrealistic it would be for him and Sam to take care of a child. Of course he pretty much raised Sam, but a little girl was a different story.

"You need to keep her safe," replied Castiel. "Or the angels will take matters into their own hands."

"What does that mean?" questioned Sam angrily, knowing what Castiel really meant.

"Just find her," replied Castiel. "And just so you are prepared, she is a troubled child. Her Mother was very inattentive to her needs and she spent a lot of time with much older children and has gained many inappropriate habits." And with that, Castiel disappeared.

"Great," sighed Dean as he looked over at Sam. "Not only do we have a little sister, but a pain in the ass little sister."

"If she's a Winchester, then being a pain in the ass is a requirement," grinned Sam. Dean rolled his eyes and took another bite of his burger. "I'll call Bobby and explain to him what is going on and to see if he has any suggestions." While Sam talked, Dean began driving. They had to drive to Detroit, Michigan which was about 4 hours from their current location. They finally arrived at the location of their sister and headed into the building.

"Can I help you?" asked an older woman in the front office.

"Yes," replied Dean as he flashed his FBI ID. "I'm looking for a child named Charleigh who has been brought to you recently. We need to take her down to the local station for questioning and to take a look at a line up for us."

"Of course," replied the woman. "Good luck with her," she sighed. "I'll be right back." Dean and Sam both exchanged glances and waited impatiently for the child to arrive. About 5 minutes later the woman returned with Charleigh. They looked down at the fragile looking 9 year old. She looked small for her age with shoulder length brown hair and big, brown eyes. She had a splattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was dressed in old, faded jeans and a navy blue hooded that said Old Navy across the front. "Agents, this is Charleigh Baxter," announced the woman.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Dean couldn't believe her resemblance to Sam at that age. There was no denying that she was their sister. He wondered if his father had known about her. And if he did, why didn't he ever tell him or Sam? He had so many questions that would never be answered and it frustrated him. Before him stood John Winchester's daughter and Dean had no idea what he and Sam were going to do with her. She looked pretty harmless and innocent. In fact, he thought she was a cute little thing and couldn't imagine her being too much trouble.

"Hello Charleigh," said Sam. "I'm Agent Greene and we need you to come down to the station with us." Charleigh furrowed her eyebrows and just looked at him without responding. "Ok?" he questioned in a stern voice. When she didn't respond, Sam glanced up at the older woman who brought Charleigh out. "Does she talk?" he asked impatiently.

"She has spoken to some of the other children, but not to any of the adults while she's been here," she responded. "A few detectives came in yesterday to see her, but they couldn't get any information out of her." Dean and Sam looked down at the child as she put her hands into her pockets and fidgeted from one foot to the other. "Please have her back by 8pm, that's when we lock the doors for the night."

"Of course, thank you," replied Dean. The woman walked away and left them alone with Charleigh. "All right, let's head out," said Dean as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Charleigh instantly shrugged his hand off and began walking toward the door. Sam and Dean hurried to catch up. Once outside, they led her to Dean's car and made sure she was buckled in before they pulled away from the curb.

"FBI agents driving a hot rod," she commented, out of the blue, from the backseat. Sam spun around and made eye contact with her. "Yes, I talk," she sighed. "You're not FBI, are you?" she questioned. Sam and Dean exchanged glances.

"Do you know this man?" asked Sam as he turned and handed her a picture of his father.

"Yeah, I think his name is John," she replied. "Why? Do you think he murdered my Mother?"

"No," replied Dean. "But how do you know him?" he asked as he peered curiously at her through his rearview mirror.

"He was a friend of my Mom's," she replied. "He would stop by every now and then. He would drop off groceries and other things for my Mom. My Mom always said he worked for the Church and his job was to help the needy. Why? Who is he?"

"Well," began Sam, "He's our Father and we believe he may be yours too."

"My Mom said that my father died 2 years after I was born," snapped Charleigh. The thought of John being her Father angered Charleigh. He must have known her Mom was a drug addict, and he never tried to help Charleigh get away from her. And why wouldn't he tell her? None of it made sense to Charleigh, but then again, nothing in her life ever made sense.

"Well, it appears your Mom may have been mistaken," replied Dean.

"Whatever," sighed Charleigh and then changed the subject. "Where the hell are you taking me anyway?" she questioned.

"To our friend Bobby's house," replied Dean. "He lives about 12 hours from here and we can sort things out when we get there." Charleigh was annoyed, but also relieved at the same time. She hated the group home and was happy to get out of there. However, she was being dragged to the middle of nowhere with two strangers who claimed to be her brothers.

"So, where is John anyway?" she questioned.

"He died almost a year ago," replied Sam.

"Oh," she replied. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks," replied Dean. "We're sorry to hear about your Mom too," he said gently, looking in the rearview mirror at her.

"It's fine," she replied as she made eye contact with him in the mirror. "She was a junkie bitch who didn't even realize I existed." Dean felt bad for her. He knew how difficult it was to grow up with a parent who was also distracted by something else, but at least he knew his Dad loved him and Sam. He had a feeling that Charleigh never felt loved by her Mother. Dean put his eyes back on the road. Charleigh fumbled through her pockets and pulled out a cigarette.

"Do either of you have a lighter?" she asked as she put the cigarette between her lips. Sam turned in his seat to look at her, as Dean glanced back in the mirror.

"No, we don't smoke and neither do you," replied Sam sternly as he reached across the seat and pulled it from her mouth.

"Oh, but I do smoke," she replied with annoyance.

"Not anymore," Dean responded firmly. Charleigh looked at Sam and then looked at Dean, and decided to put the argument to rest for now. She figured they weren't ready to see the real Charleigh yet.

"Fine," she sighed as she rested her head against the window. The next thing she knew they were pulling into a gas station and she figured she had fallen asleep. "How much longer?" she questioned drearily as she rubbed her eyes.

"Only about two more hours," replied Sam. "Do you need to use the bathroom? Or need a snack?"

"Yes, I'm starving!" she replied eagerly as she jumped from the car. After she used the restroom, Charleigh wandered around the small convenient store searching for a snack and a lighter. She quickly found a lighter and stuffed it into her pocket before Sam or Dean were near her. She then grabbed a coke and a bag of chips and carried them to the register where Dean was waiting. "I'll have these," she stated. Dean placed them on the counter with the rest of the snacks. The cashier rang everything up and then looked down at Charleigh. "What?" she questioned rudely. "He's paying, not me."

"The young lady has a lighter that needs to be paid for," replied the cashier. Charleigh looked up at Dean as he glared down at her.

"Charleigh?" Dean questioned angrily.

"Ugh," she sighed as she pulled it out of her pocket and flung it at the cashier. "It's just a little friggin lighter!" Dean tossed a twenty dollar bill on the counter and grabbed Charleigh roughly by the arm. He rushed her outside to the car and pinned her against the side of it.

"Hand them over," he demanded. Charleigh glared at him angrily. "Now!" he ground out. Charleigh jumped at his deep, authoritative voice. Meanwhile Sam got out of the car to find out what was going on.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"Charleigh decided she was going to steal a lighter," Dean replied. Charleigh fumbled through the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out her last 3 cigarettes. She threw them in Dean's face. "What the …?" he snapped angrily. Charleigh ducked under Dean's arms and hurried to the other side of the car and climbed in. Dean turned toward Sam shaking his head in anger.

"She's been through a lot," mentioned Sam as he pat Dean on the back. "Once we get to Bobby's, we'll lay down some ground rules."

"Oh Sammy, what have we gotten ourselves into," sighed Dean.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

They drove the remaining 2 hours in silence. Charleigh could tell that Dean and Sam were pissed and just wanted the whole incident at the gas station to blow over. She didn't understand what the big deal was. She smoked all the time and no one cared. Finally, they pulled into a salvage yard with old cars everywhere and a little, white, cape cod styled home sat in the corner. The car came to a stop in front of the house.

"Looks like Ellen's truck," mentioned Dean pointing to an older, tan colored Chevy Silverado.

"Must be working a job with Bobby," replied Sam, as he opened his door and hopped out with Dean following. Charleigh stayed put in the backseat. She wondered what they meant by 'working a job'. The first thought that came to her mind was that they were drug dealers. "Coming?" questioned Sam as he opened her back door. Charleigh nodded and slowly emerged. She followed behind them to the front door and watched curiously as Dean pushed open the door without knocking.

"Bobby!" he called as he stepped inside with both Sam and Charleigh following. Charleigh watched as an older, balding man with black hair and dark eyes approached them. He gave them both a hug and stopped when he came to Charleigh. "This is her," announced Dean. "The evil spawn of John Winchester." Dean grinned at Charleigh and headed into the other room.

"Hi Charleigh," smiled Bobby as he looked down at the child.

"Hi," she replied.

"Your Father was my best friend," he said as he ruffled the hair on the top of her head. "And you look just like your brother Sam." Charleigh glanced up at Sam who stood beside her and he smiled at Bobby's remark. She then redirected her attention to Bobby.

"My Dad died 7 years ago," she snapped rudely.

"That's the story her Mother gave her," commented Sam.

"So where is this little girl?" questioned a woman's voice from the kitchen. Bobby signaled for Charleigh to follow him. "You must be Charleigh?" smiled an older woman with long, dark blonde hair and brown eyes. She had a harsh look to her, but a gentle smile. "I'm Ellen," she said as she gave Charleigh a hug, but Charleigh didn't return the gesture. She just stood there awkwardly. Hugs were pretty much an unknown for her. Her Mother never showed or any affection for as long as Charleigh could remember. "And this is my daughter, Jo," she mentioned as she pointed to a younger, beautiful woman in her early twenties with long blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Are you here for a job?" asked Dean as he entered the room.

"Actually, we came to see if we could help out with Charleigh," replied Ellen. "We didn't want to leave the poor girl defenseless against all you men."

"Something tells me she's not defenseless," commented Dean. Charleigh rolled her eyes at his comment. "But she could use some new clothes and whatever other girlie things a 9 year old needs," he mentioned. "We didn't bring any of her belongings with us."

"A shopping trip," smiled Jo. "Sounds fun."

"First thing tomorrow morning," announced Ellen. Charleigh forced an awkward smile. The truth was, she had never been shopping. Her Mother never had the money and they relied solely on donations from their Church or Charleigh would just steal what she needed. She stared around the room awkwardly at all of them. Even though she was in a crowded room, she had never felt so alone. She just wanted to hide.

"Why don't we go into the Living Room where there's more room," suggested Bobby. Charleigh followed Bobby and took a seat on the couch. "So, tell us about yourself Charleigh," said Bobby as he took a seat in the chair behind his desk. Dean and Sam came in each carrying a beer. Sam took a seat next to Charleigh and Ellen sat next to him. Dean took a seat on the floor by the fireplace next to Jo.

"There's not much to tell," she replied as she shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably. "The last 9 years of my life have pretty much sucked. My Mother hated me. Apparently my Father abandoned me. And, now I'm homeless and an orphan," she said quickly, without emotion. She looked around and could see the sympathy on everyone's faces. She didn't want their sympathy. She didn't need anyone feeling sorry for her. "I'm really tired," she commented. "Can I go to bed?"

"Of course," replied Bobby. "I put an air mattress on the floor in Dean and Sam's room. Come on, I'll show you."

"Night," Charleigh said as she glanced around at everyone in the room. They all responded and she followed Bobby upstairs. He showed her to a room with two single beds and a single air mattress in the corner with a sleeping bag.

"Once Ellen and Jo leave you can have your own room while you're here," he commented. Charleigh liked him. He seemed very kind and gentle. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you," she replied as she took off her sneakers and climbed inside the sleeping bag. Meanwhile, when Bobby returned downstairs, they began their discussion of Charleigh.

"We have no idea how to take care of a child, especially this one," sighed Dean. "She smokes, she swears, she steals, and who knows what else. She seems very street smart and in some ways, wise beyond her years. I mean, aren't 9 year olds still playing with baby dolls?"

"Most of them," replied Ellen. "But it sounds like poor Charleigh hasn't had anything close to a normal life."

"Yeah," sighed Sam. "Poor kid."

"Charleigh needs love, lots of it, patience, understanding, rules, consequences, and more love," commented Ellen. "She needs to know she's safe and that someone cares about her." Just then Castiel appeared in the room.

"Damn it Cas," grumbled Dean.

"This is for the child," he said as he handed Dean a necklace. "This will keep the demons from locating her."

"Thanks," replied Dean, as he held a diamond pendant in his hands. Then, Castiel disappeared.

"No!" screetched Charleigh's voice from upstairs. Dean and Sam hurried upstairs as quickly as possible. They found Charleigh crouched against the wall holding her pillow tightly against her. "Don't kill her! No! Please!"

"Charleigh!" interrupted Dean.

"No!" she cried again.

"Charleigh!" boomed Dean's voice again as he crouched down in front of her. Charleigh look toward Dean with confusion. "You're dreaming," he said gently. Charleigh drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly and then broke down into tears. Dean put his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. She clutched onto him tightly and began sobbing into his shoulder. "Shhhhh," he comforted. "You're safe now, we won't let anything happen to you."

"I saw the monsters kill her," she sobbed. "I was hiding in the pantry and I didn't do anything to help her."

"You couldn't have helped her," said Sam gently as he sat down on the floor beside them. "They would've killed you too." After Charleigh relaxed, Sam and Dean explained to her their job and her father's job. However, they decided not to tell her about her soon to be abilities. Charleigh went to sleep that night feeling safe for the first time in her life. For some reason, she felt like she could trust Sam and Dean and she knew they would make sure she was safe.

The next morning, after breakfast, Ellen and Jo took Charleigh to the nearest mall and helped her to pick out several new outfits, as well as other things she needed. While they were at the mall, Charleigh was able to sneak a pack of smokes from someone's purse along with their lighter. After they were back at Bobby's for a while, Charleigh excused herself and went upstairs to the bathroom. She opened the window and pulled out the pack of smokes. She knew Dean and Sam didn't want her smoking, but she was really craving a cigarette and couldn't wait any longer. She was almost finished when she heard the smoke alarm go off. She quickly tossed the evidence outside the window.

"Open up Charleigh," she heard Sam's voice say on the other side. She swung open the door to Sam and Dean glaring at her and smiled.

"Why do I smell cigarette smoke little girl?" asked Dean sternly as he glared down at her.

"I don't know," she replied smugly.

"Where did you get them?" asked Sam.

"I borrowed them from someone at the mall," she replied, still smug.

"You stole them," replied Dean angrily.

"So," she sighed. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you took something from someone that doesn't belong to you AND you were smoking after we told you not to," Dean ground out angrily.

"Geez, who put the stick up your asses?" she laughed. She was surprised when Dean nor Sam laughed in return.

"You, little girl, are in big trouble," said Dean sternly. His anger and persistence surprised Charleigh. Once again, she didn't understand what the big deal was. They were only cigarettes, she thought to herself. "Downstairs to the kitchen, now, we are going to have a talk," he ordered firmly. Charleigh did as she was told and headed downstairs with Dean and Sam following. She sat down at the table and waited while they headed into the Living Room to speak with Bobby and Ellen. They came back into the kitchen several minutes later.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

"Just so you know, you guys don't scare me," Charleigh blurted out bravely.

"Good, I'm glad, I wouldn't want you to be scared of us," replied Dean as he sat at the end of the table, kiddy corner from her. Sam remained standing a few feet away by the cabinets. "Listen Charleigh, while you are living with us there are going to be rules we expect you to follow. To start, there will be no stealing, no smoking, and no lying. You will also be respectful and do as you're told, the first time, without argument. And cool it with the swearing too, it doesn't sound right coming out of a little girl."

"Wow," she sighed. "And what happens if I decide that I don't want to follow these stupid rules? Are you going to haul me back to the group home?" Dean turned toward Sam and rolled his eyes and shook his head in frustration. Sam decided he would continue the discussion and sat down at the table across from her.

"If you don't follow the rules, then there will be consequences," he continued.

"What the hell are consequences? Like praying and shit?" she questioned rudely and impatiently. Sam grinned at her response while Dean buried his head in his hands. The poor kid really had no clue and teaching her to be a civilized human being wasn't going to be easy, Sam thought to himself.

"Well," Sam continued. "Consequences are the results of the choices we make. For example, if you decide to break the rules, then you will be punished." Charleigh's eyes widened as her face flushed red with embarrassment. She didn't like the sound of the word "punished".

"Punished, how?" she questioned.

"That depends on the crime," replied Dean, rejoining the conversation. "The little stunt you pulled today would have earned you a spanking for sure, but you have Bobby and Ellen to thank because we're letting you off with a warning this time." Charleigh jumped up from her chair and pushed it forcefully into the table.

"No way!" she shouted. "I'm not agreeing to these f*&%$# rules! You can take them and shove them up your…. "

"Enough!" boomed Dean's voice. "Sit down, now!" he ordered sternly, trying to remain calm. Dean was convinced that Charleigh was more exhausting than fighting monsters. Charleigh eyed him defiantly. She contemplated running, but the look that Dean was giving her made her decide otherwise. She obediently sat back down and huffed angrily. "You are only 9 years old," he commented. "And you do not make the rules, we do. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!" she snapped.

"Here's your first lesson in respect," he said sternly. "When you answer, you answer with a yes. Understood?"

"Yes," she grumbled. "Are we finished?" Dean looked toward Sam and he shook his head in agreement.

"We're finished," replied Dean.

"I'll be outside," she said as she hurried out the front door. Charleigh found Jo sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette. "Hey," she sighed as she sat down beside her.

"Oh hey," replied Jo as she tossed the cigarette to the ground. "Did they lay down the law?"

"Bastards," sighed Charleigh.

"Hey now," replied Jo. "They are good guys and you're lucky to have them. Remember that." Jo ran her fingers through the top of Charleigh's hair and stood up to go back into the house. Charleigh sat there for a few moments and looked out into the salvage yard. She started walking toward the cars and picked up some stones off of the ground and then began pelting them at the windows of the cars. She watched as the glass spiderwebbed on the windows. She then began to pick up bigger rocks and began smashing the windows.

"Having fun?" questioned a voice from behind her. Charleigh jumped and then turned to find Bobby holding a huge duffel bag.

"Oh sorry Bobby," she replied. "I figured they were junk away."

"Smash away," Bobby smiled. "Just don't get yourself hurt." Bobby headed into the garage with the bag with Charleigh following behind him. He opened his trunk and put the bag inside.

"Where are you going?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"A friend of mine needs help with a job," he replied. "I'll be gone for a few days."

"Can I come?" asked Charleigh.

"Sorry honey," he smiled. "But it's too dangerous for a little girl."

"Ugh," sighed Charleigh. "Why does everyone call me a little girl?"

"Cause you're nine," replied Bobby. "Behave for those boys, ya hear?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "See ya Bobby." Charleigh wandered back to the house. She headed inside to find Ellen and Jo playing cards at the table. She sat down at the table with them and joined in on the next game. Meanwhile, Dean and Sam began researching her Mother's murder in Bobby's office. The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful.

Dean received a phone call in the middle of the night from Bobby requesting help. Minutes later everyone was piling into Dean's car to go and help Bobby. Sam and Dean in the front, while Jo, Ellen, and Charleigh crammed into the back. They drove for a few hours until they finally arrived at the coordinates that Bobby had given them. "Charleigh, stay in the car, lock the doors and do not open them until we return," ordered Dean sternly as he parked the car about a ½ mile away in the middle of the woods. Charleigh watched curiously as they all loaded up with weapons and headed off into the darkness. Her curiousity got the best of her and she headed off after them. She walked for over an hour and still hadn't caught up to them and suddenly became worried that maybe she was lost.

"Well, well, well," hissed a voice in the darkness. "Looks like I have found myself a White Lighter." Charleigh watched as a man came into view. He was short, with dark hair and eyes that were completely black. Charleigh took off running as fast as she could in the opposite direction. However, he caught up with her within seconds.

"Dean! Sam!" screamed Charleigh as he pushed her up against a tree trunk. "Let me go!" she hollered, as loud as she could.

"You're coming with me," hissed the demon as he covered her mouth with his hand. "My boss has been looking for you for a long time." Charleigh frantically tried to push him away but he was incredibly strong. Suddenly, a yellow light glowed from his eyes and mouth, and then black smoke spewed out of his mouth, and he released her. Charleigh fell backward onto the ground and watched in awe as the body collapsed onto the ground. Once the body fell, Sam appeared in front of her holding a blood covered knife. Charleigh was relieved to see him.

"Sam," gasped Charleigh as she fought back tears, not wanting to show anyone that she really was scared. "That was freakin awesome. Can you teach me to do that?"

"Someday. Are you ok?" he asked as he reached down to help her up. Charleigh took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Yeah. What the hell was that?" she asked, still gasping for air.

"That, was a demon," replied Sam.

"He said his boss has been looking for me," questioned Charleigh, playing the conversation over in her head. Just then, Dean appeared beside Sam.

"Are you ok?" asked Dean as he checked her over quickly.

"Yes, I'm fine," replied Charleigh.

"Let's go, there are demons everywhere," said Dean urgently as he took Charleigh's hand and led her through the woods and finally back to the car. They hurried her into the backseat and headed out of the woods.

"Where are Jo and Ellen?" asked Charleigh worriedly.

"They headed back with Bobby," replied Sam.

"Oh," sighed Charleigh as she tried to get comfortable in the backseat. She looked up at the rearview mirror and could see Dean looking back at her.

"What the hell were you doing out of the car?" he demanded.

"I tried to follow you," replied Charleigh. "I wanted to see the monsters you hunt."

"You were told to stay in the car," he replied angrily.

"I know," she replied, not understanding why he was so angry. Dean shook his head in frustration and kept quiet for the remainder of the drive home. He was angry with her, but relieved she wasn't hurt. Charleigh fell asleep before they arrived home and Sam carried her upstairs to her bed. The next morning Charleigh awoke to find Sam and Dean still sleeping and headed downstairs to find Ellen at the table with a cup of coffee.

"Morning sweetheart," said Ellen sleepily.

"Hi," replied Charleigh as she sat down across from her. "Can I have a cup of coffee?" Ellen looked at her questioningly, trying to decide if it was appropriate for a 9 year to drink coffee, but then decided it didn't matter.

"Sure," she said as she stood up and took a cup out of the cabinet. "What do you like in it?" she asked as she poured it into the cup.

"Just black," replied Charleigh.

"That's just how I like it," grinned Ellen as she handed the cup to Charleigh.

"Thanks," replied Charleigh.

"So, Dean said you were almost taken by a demon last night," mentioned Ellen.

"Yeah, it was so cool," replied Charleigh. Ellen was surprised by her response and decided that Charleigh was just trying to keep up the façade of being a bad ass and not being afraid of anything.

"It could have easily killed you," replied Ellen sternly. "And I specifically heard Dean tell you to stay in the car."

"It's not a big deal," sighed Charleigh.

"It is most definitely a big deal," boomed Dean's voice from behind Charleigh. Charleigh spun around to face Dean. Dean looked tired and groggy, but he also looked pissed. "You were told to stay in the car and you disobeyed me. And you almost got yourself killed," he ground out.

"Oh come on Dean, did you really expect me to stay in the car while you were going on a monster hunt?" questioned Charleigh.

"Yes," replied Dean sternly.

"Whatever," sighed Charleigh. "It's over and done with and I'm fine." Dean stepped closer to her and crouched down to her level.

"This is not over with little girl," he said sternly. "I want you upstairs now and we'll continue our discussion there."

"Dean, I'm done talking about this," snapped Charleigh.

"Trust me, I'm done talking too," he replied angrily. "Now go!" Dean stood up and hoped Charleigh would do as she was told. Charleigh toyed with the idea of staying put, but she decided Dean meant business so she stood up, slammed her chair in, and stomped upstairs to the bedroom. Dean turned toward Ellen in frustration. "She has no idea why I am angry with her," he sighed. "She just thinks she can do whatever she wants."

"I know," replied Ellen, disappointed that Charleigh had continued to push Dean. "Unfortunately, she hasn't had to follow any rules or answer to anyone for a long time now."

"What am I supposed to do?" he questioned, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for his little sister. He pretty much raised Sam, but Charleigh was different. She was fearless and had no regard for anyone but herself. "Who am I kidding?" he sighed. "I know what has to be done." Ellen nodded in agreement, feeling sorry for both Dean and Charleigh because they were both put into situations they weren't prepared to handle. Dean headed back upstairs to find Sam in the bedroom talking to Charleigh.

"Hey," said Sam, looking up at Dean. "We were just talking about last night."

"I hope your discussion went better than mine," grumbled Dean.

"Not really," replied Sam. Dean turned his attention toward Charleigh.

"Charleigh, do you remember how we talked about consequences?" he asked sternly. Charleigh nodded her head. "Well, you need to be punished for disobeying us last night." Charleigh's face flushed red with embarrassment. She couldn't believe he was going to punish her for something as silly as leaving the car when she wasn't supposed to. "Sam, could you give us a few minutes?" asked Dean. Sam nodded and stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him. He felt sorry for Dean and for Charleigh, but he agreed she needed to be punished.

"You can't spank me!" protested Charleigh from inside the room. "You have no right!" Charleigh suddenly felt scared. She had never been spanked before, but heard stories from friends who were, and it definitely didn't sound pleasant. Dean took a deep breath. He didn't want to have to do this, but he knew it was necessary.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Dean paced the room a few times while Charleigh stood with her arms crossed in the corner of the room. Dean began having second thoughts. He thought maybe it was too soon since the poor kid had been through so much in the last few days and maybe he needed to give her more time to become acquainted with the new rules. He thought about his Dad and he knew his Dad would've beat her ass the first time she talked back to him. But Dean didn't want to be like his Dad. He sat down on the bed and called Charleigh over to sit on the bed across from him. Charleigh looked at him hesitantly, afraid to go any closer to him. "I just want to talk," he said reassuringly.

"Ok," replied Charleigh hesitantly as she walked over and sat down across from him. Charleigh could feel tears threatening to fall from her eyes and fought hard to keep them back. "I'm sorry," she said. "I really didn't think it was going to be such a big deal."

"Charleigh, Sam and I just want to keep you safe and we can't do that if you don't follow the rules," he began gently, yet sternly. "We need to trust that when we give you an order, you will obey it."

"I know," she replied as her eyes began to fill with tears. "I just didn't want to be left alone. I was scared and I feel safe when I'm with you and Sam." A few tears fell from her eyes.

"Charleigh, you need to tell us how you are feeling," replied Dean, trying to decide if Charleigh was really being sincere or if she was just putting on an act.

"Ok," she replied. "Are you still going to spank me?"

"Yes," replied Dean deciding that he needed to be consistent and follow through on his threats. Plus, he still wasn't convinced that Charleigh really was sorry or if she was just telling him what she knew he wanted to hear.

"No!" she cried as she jumped up from her spot on the bed only to be grabbed by Dean. Dean quickly turned her over his knee. Charleigh began kicking and thrashing about, so Dean pinned her legs in place with his own leg and took her free hand and held it firmly behind her back. He then began to spank her with his free hand. Charleigh held in her cries and tears. She was convinced that she would not give Dean the satisfaction of letting him know how much it hurt. Dean landed about twenty spanks on her pajama covered bottom. Charleigh buried her head in the comforter and sobbed quietly. Dean released her from his grip and helped her up. "I hate you," she growled as she hurried over to her air mattress and climbed inside her sleeping bag. Dean decided it was best to leave her be and left the room. He headed downstairs and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and sat down at the table where Sam was researching on his laptop.

"Are you ok?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," replied Dean. "She hates me. I feel bad, but she needed a reminder of who is in charge here."

"I agree," replied Sam, looking across the table at Dean. "How are we going to do this Dean?" Dean knew exactly what Sam meant. How were they going to keep a child like Charleigh from turning to the evil side? Her past was filled with darkness, tragedy, and disappointment. She was the perfect candidate to turn to a life of evil and revenge. Dean was worried himself.

"I don't know," sighed Dean. "But she is a Winchester and we owe it to her to at least try."

"Yeah," replied Sam. "We also need to think about school for her. I was thinking I could home school her. I was just researching it online and it doesn't seem too complicated. The school district will supply the appropriate books."

"Yeah, yeah, sounds good," replied Dean.

"I'm thinking we should have her tested first to see how far behind she is," commented Sam.

"I get the feeling school wasn't a priority for her or for her Mother," replied Dean. They decided that Sam would contact the school district that Bobby's home was located in and set up an appointment to have Charleigh tested by the School Psychologist. Just as they were finishing their conversation, Ellen and Jo entered the kitchen to let them know they needed to head back to the Roadhouse to help Ash out. Ellen made Dean promise to call if he needed any help with Charleigh, but she had confidence that the boys would be all right. Ellen and Jo headed up to stay good bye to Charleigh before they headed out. They knocked and entered her room to find her face buried in her pillow.

"Charleigh," said Ellen gently as she sat down on the floor beside her while Jo took a seat on the bed. "We just wanted to say good bye." Charleigh lifted her head to look over at Ellen, her eyes red from crying.

"Take me with you," pleaded Charleigh.

"I wish I could," replied Ellen as she pushed Charleigh's bangs away from her eyes. "But you're safer with your brothers. We'll come visit, and I know the boys will bring you to visit us. If you need anything, you can call me." Charleigh winced as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "You listen to those boys," she said as she reached over and gave Charleigh a hug. This time Charleigh hugged her in return. Ellen smiled as she released her. "I'll see you soon kiddo."

"See ya," replied Charleigh. She watched as Ellen stood up and Jo came over to hug her good bye. She felt sad as she watched them leave.

Meanwhile, Dean and Sam uncovered some more information regarding Charleigh's mother's death and decided they needed to head back to Detroit to interview some acquaintances of Veronica. Bobby had a job he needed to finish up, so the boys would have to take Charleigh on the road with them. They decided they would give her a few days before they headed out and get her tested and enrolled for home schooling. After Ellen and Jo left, Charleigh moved her things into the room they were using. It was smaller, but had a bed, a dresser, a TV, and a small desk. She put her clothes away in the dresser drawers and climbed into bed and clicked on the TV. There were a few channels and she found a channel with some older cartoons on, so decided to watch it. About an hour later, there was a knock on her door and Sam appeared in her doorway.

"I see you've already moved yourself in," he smiled. Charleigh nodded. "We're going to grab some dinner in about an hour."

"I'm not hungry," replied Charleigh.

"Well, we can't leave you here alone, so you'll have to come along," he replied.

"I've spent more time on my own than with an adult," snapped back Charleigh. "I'm fine here."

"Charleigh," sighed Sam. "It's not up for negotiation. Be ready to leave in an hour."

"Ugh," groaned Charleigh. "You guys are suffocating me. Just let me be." Sam entered her room and closed the door behind him. He grabbed her desk chair and sat down across from her.

"I know this isn't easy for you," he said, "but we need you to trust that we are doing what is best for you." Charleigh was silent. She didn't know how to respond. The truth was, Charleigh wanted to let Sam and Dean in, but she didn't know how. She never had anyone in her life that she could trust and every time she thought about opening up to them, she became scared and angry. Sam reached over and took one of her hands in his. Charleigh was surprised at how gentle his touch was and tears began to fall from her eyes. "We'll figure this out together," he said gently. "Just remember, you're not alone anymore."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

"Thanks Sam, but I've learned the hard way that you can't really fully trust anyone," replied Charleigh as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "In the end, everyone's only looking out for themselves. I mean, look at John Winchester, if he really was my Father, my family, then why did he leave me with a crazy, junkie Mother who couldn't get herself straight, even for her daughter? He knew, he saw, and he still left me with her."

"I don't know," replied Sam. "There has to be more to the story than that. I know he must've had his reasons for doing what he did." Hearing Charleigh speak like this, made Sam even angrier with his Father.

"I know why," replied Charleigh angrily. "He cared more about his job than his own child." Sam couldn't argue with that statement. He fought with the same feelings for years and even now, he would still become angry when he thought back to his childhood.

"I'm sorry," replied Sam. "But Dean and I, we're not our Dad, and family comes first and foremost, and we will do everything we can to protect you." There was another knock on the door and Dean entered.

"Just wanted to make sure everything is ok," said Dean, sensing he walked into the middle of something.

"Yeah," replied Sam as he released Charleigh's hand and stood up from the bed. "Just having a little conversation about Dad. I think maybe you two might need to talk," he mentioned awkwardly as he left the room.

"I have nothing to say to you," snapped Charleigh as she glared defiantly at Dean.

"Yeah, and if you think I'm going to apologize for giving you a spanking, I'm not, because you had it coming for days now," he replied firmly. "And I'll do it again if I think you deserve it."

"Ugh!" blushed Charleigh awkwardly. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine," replied Dean completely frustrated with her. "Meet us downstairs in about 20 minutes." Charleigh watched as he left and then completely broke down into tears. She cried for a few minutes, then headed into the bathroom to wash her face. She then put on a new pair of her jeans, a Yankees t-shirt, and a hoodie and headed downstairs to find them waiting in the kitchen. "Hmmmm…right on time, I'm impressed," teased Dean.

"Dean," sighed Sam as Charleigh rolled her eyes. Charleigh sat in silence on the way to the diner. Since Bobby lived in the middle of nowhere, it took about 25 minutes to find civilization. They went to the local diner. Sam and Dean had the menu memorized and ordered their favorites. Charleigh decided on a bowl of cereal and a fruit cup. Sam and Dean discussed a message they had received from Bobby regarding a case he was working on while Charleigh sat next to Sam in silence. She periodically glanced over at Dean when he was talking, but mostly stared down at her placemat. Finally, the food arrived.

"We're going to sign you up for school tomorrow, well, home school," said Sam when he was done with his salad. "They're going to do some testing on you to see what grade level you are performing at," he continued.

"That's not necessary," replied Charleigh. "I was the top student in my class." Both Sam and Dean exchanged looks. Charleigh caught them and became annoyed. "You thought I was stupid, didn't you?" she questioned angrily. "Well, for your information," she continued without giving them a chance to reply, "school was my only safe haven and I actually liked it." Charleigh took another spoonful of her cereal. "Jackasses," she mumbled, still annoyed.

"Excuse me?" demanded Dean, hearing her snide little comment as he glared over at her.

"Oh come on Dean," she snapped as she glared back at him. "You guys just assumed that I am stupid!" she said, raising her voice.

"Outside, now," he ordered firmly. "Sam, can you take care of the bill?" Sam nodded his head. Sam was amazed at how much Charleigh was like Dean. They were both stubborn and both always had to be right. Charleigh was definitely a Winchester. Sam stood up to let Charleigh out and she stomped out the diner door. Dean firmly grabbed her arm once outside and turned her to face him. Charleigh wasn't about to back down, she was still annoyed that they thought she was stupid. "Jackasses? Huh?" he questioned angrily. "Since you're so smart, when we get home, you can do some writing. I want you to write 'I will not disrespect Sam or Dean' 100 times."

"Piece of cake," replied Charleigh smugly. Dean was amazed at her boldness and stubbornness. He couldn't believe her disregard for authority and her will power in holding back her emotions when he punished her. "Anything else?" she questioned rudely.

"No," sighed Dean as he released her arm. "Get in the car." Charleigh hopped into the back seat and minutes later Sam came out carrying a few to go bags. "Is that my apple pie?" questioned Dean as Sam climbed into the car.

"Yes," grinned Sam as he turned toward Charleigh in the backseat. "I got you some too," he said to her. Charleigh grinned because she did in fact love pie. "And for the record Charleigh, we never thought you were stupid, we just thought you may not have had many opportunities to attend school," said Sam gently.

"Oh," replied Charleigh. Dean looked back at Charleigh through his rearview mirror. Charleigh saw him and turned her gaze to look out the window. Once they arrived back home, Charleigh willingly completed her punishment and then went upstairs to take a shower. After her shower, she crawled in bed to watch television. Sam poked his head and said good night and then minutes later Dean came in. Charleigh grabbed her lines off of her nightstand and handed them to him. He looked at them approvingly.

"Do you understand what you did wrong?" he questioned.

"Yes," she replied, hoping it didn't turn into a lecture. She was too tired.

"Ok, good night kiddo," he said as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. Charleigh was surprised by his show of affection and smiled.

"Good night Dean," she replied.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

The following morning Dean gathered together the documents that Bobby had put together for Charleigh including a fake birth certificate listing John Winchester as her father and Veronica Baxter as her Mother. He included other fake documents including paperwork that stated Dean and Sam were her legal guardians. They headed over to school first thing in morning as the students were arriving. While Sam and Dean completed paperwork to register Charleigh, the School Psychologist took her to her office to test her. Completing their paperwork long before Charleigh was finished, Sam and Dean headed outside to wait. As they walked toward the nearest picnic table, Castiel appeared in the distance.

"Hi Cas," said Dean and Sam when they were within speaking distance.

"How are things going with the child?" he asked.

"Getting better each day," replied Dean. "She's a handful."

"I have more information for you," he said. "Veronica Baxter was a White Lighter. She was a friend of John's and helped him out on a few hunts. Veronica was married to a man named Norman Barnes. John and Veronica had a brief affair. When Veronica became pregnant, she never questioned who the baby's father was; she always said it was Norman's. John never knew that Charleigh was his daughter. Two years after Charleigh was born, Norman was murdered by a demon. Veronica became consumed by guilt and that is when she began using drugs and alcohol. John would stop in every now and then to see how she was doing and to keep an eye on Charleigh." Cas' information made Sam feel better and he knew it would help Charleigh too.

"Thank you," replied Sam. "Any information on the demon who killed Veronica?"

"No, I'm sorry," replied Cas.

"Thanks Cas," said Dean. "Your information has been helpful. We're going to head back to Detroit to see if there is anything we missed."

"You're welcome," he replied and then disappeared. About an hour later Charleigh was finally finished. They met with the Psychologist and she confirmed that Charleigh was in fact very bright. In fact, most of her scores fell within the 4th grade range and she was only a 3rd grader. She gave Sam the appropriate textbooks for Charleigh and they headed on their way. While Charleigh was testing, Sam and Dean decided they were going to tell Charleigh everything they knew about her Mother and about the danger she was in because she too was a White Lighter. They headed back to the house.

"Charleigh, Sam and I would like to talk to you," said Dean as they stepped into the kitchen.

"Great," she sighed as she took a seat at the table. Sam sat down next to her while Dean sat across from her. Charleigh could feel the anxiety building and convinced herself that they were sending her back to the group home. Sam began speaking and started from the beginning with her Mother and what her Mother was. They told her about Norman and about John. Dean finished up the conversation and explained to Charleigh that she too was a White Lighter, but during puberty she could be susceptible to becoming a Dark Lighter. Charleigh was overwhelmed with all the information, but finally everything made sense to her.

"Are you all right?" asked Sam, when Charleigh didn't respond.

"Yeah," she replied. "But what is puberty?" Dean and Sam exchanged glances and their faces flushed red with embarrassment. "I'll just google it," she decided when she could see how uncomfortable they were.

"We'll google it together," replied Sam. "There's a lot of information out there and I want to make sure you're getting the right information.

"Ok," she replied. Sam headed into the office and came back carrying his laptop. Together, the three of them researched puberty. The whole experience was embarrassing and uncomfortable for Charleigh, even more so for Sam and Dean, but they got through it. "So let me summarize this," said Charleigh when they were finished. "I am going to grow boobs, grow hair in private places, have mood swings, and bleed every month. I am so not looking forward to this."

"Me neither," sighed Dean. Raising a girl was surely going to be whole new experience for him. In fact, he was pretty sure that hunting monsters was going to be the easier of the two jobs. Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace that Cas gave him. "Always keep this on, it will keep the demons from finding you. When you're old enough, you can get a tattoo, but right now this necklace will do the job." Charleigh took the diamond pendant from him and with Sam's help, put it around her neck.

"And now, we can start your school work," announced Sam as he pulled a Math book from a bag on the table.

"That is my cue to leave," smiled Dean as he headed upstairs to take a nap.

They worked on schoolwork for about an hour and Charleigh headed outside to the porch to take a break while Sam made some sandwiches for lunch. She noticed some movement in the junkyard and headed over to explore. She looked around but couldn't find anything. She then heard noise coming from the far end of the junkyard. As she got closer, she realized someone was chanting her name. Suddenly, she was scared and turned to run, but couldn't remember which way she had come. She ran quickly in the direction she had thought she had come from, but it didn't lead her back to the house. She continued to hear someone chanting her name and it was getting closer. She tried running in another direction but that too was a dead end. The chanting was getting louder. She tried another direction and could hear the chanting directly behind her. She looked over her shoulder, but couldn't see anything. She crashed into someone or something in front of her and fell backwards and crawled quickly under a nearby car. She kept crawling under car after car and finally remained under one when the chanting stopped and she could hear footsteps nearby. Charleigh fought back her tears and hoped Dean or Sam would find her before something else did.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Charleigh found a crowbar next to her on the ground and latched onto it tightly. As she was peering out from under the car, the tip of a black shoe appeared in front of her and stopped moving. She raised the crowbar as high as she could and then brought it sailing down on the tip of the shoe. She went to scramble away when she heard a familiar voice. "Ow, dammit!" groaned Dean's voice.

"Oh shit," replied Charleigh as she rolled out from under the car. Her first instinct was to laugh when she saw Dean limping around and cursing at the same time. "Shit Dean, I am so sorry," she said as she stood up from the ground. Dean turned to face her and she could tell he was pissed.

"What the hell Charleigh?" he demanded. "What are you doing out here?"

"I….I….I…..," she stuttered, "I heard someone calling my name and I thought you were someone or something else," she replied. Dean finally stopped limping and the color was starting to return to his face again.

"Did you see anyone else out here?" asked Dean concerningly.

"I thought I did, but when I started running, I could hear the voice behind me, but I couldn't see anyone," she replied. Charleigh thought back to the voice and tried to replay it in her head. "I think it was a woman's voice," she said worriedly. Charleigh began trembling as she thought back to what had just happened. Dean approached her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"It's ok," he said gently. "You're safe now." Suddenly, Charleigh realized who the voice belonged to. She looked up at Dean and frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked as the color left Charleigh's face. "You look like you've seen a ….."

"Ghost," mumbled Charleigh, cutting him off. "Dean, the voice belonged to my Mom," she said quietly as tears sprang to her eyes. Dean sighed as he looked down at her sadly.

"I'm sorry Charleigh," he replied. He felt bad that the woman had ruined Charleigh's childhood and now her ghost wanted to continue to haunt her. "Charleigh, do you know if your Mom was buried?" he asked.

"No, she was cremated," she replied.

"Do you have anything of hers that you carry with you?" he asked curiously. Charleigh rolled up her sleeve, exposing a dainty friendship bracelet made from yarn.

"This was hers," she replied as she yanked it from her wrist.

"If we destroy this, then she should disappear for good," replied Dean.

"Destroy the bitch," replied Charleigh angrily without hesitation.

"It's not that easy," replied Dean. "We need you to be part of the ritual."

"Let's do it," replied Charleigh again without hesitation. She wanted Veronica out of her life for good. They headed back toward the house where they found Sam. Dean explained everything to Sam. They headed inside to prepare to summon Veronica in order to put her to rest forever. They explained to Charlie how they would have to put her inside a circle made of salt and that she may see Veronica one more time. They also prepared her that Veronica may be angry and say things to deliberately hurt her. Charleigh bravely agreed to do whatever she needed. She waited inside the salt circle with Sam and Dean and then suddenly the room became very cold. Charleigh watched as he Mother appeared outside the circle. She instantly started to cry. Dean placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"I died because of you," hissed her Mother's ghost. "They came for you and I was only in the way. You can't hide forever darling. They will find you sooner or later and you will not be strong enough to resist the temptation. You will become a Dark Lighter, it's your destiny."

"Go to hell!" shouted Charleigh as she lit the bracelet on fire with Dean's lighter. Charleigh watched in horror as her Mother's ghost burned before her eyes and disappeared.

She quickly ran from the circle and ran to her bedroom. She flung her door closed behind her and locked it. Her tears turned to rage and she pushed the lamp on the floor and then ripped the blankets off her bed. She picked up the chair to the desk and launched it at her window, shattering glass everywhere. Meanwhile Dean and Sam were able to kick open her door, but as the door opened, Charleigh's foot became tangled in her blankets and she tumbled, hands first, into the glass. She felt two strong arms lift her from the floor and carry her into the bathroom. Sam placed her in the bathtub and turned the water on. They placed her hands under the water in an attempt to rinse the glass off. Blood trickled from both hands. Charleigh began sobbing uncontrollably. "She was my Mom," she sobbed. "Why did she hate me?" Sam rubbed Charleigh's back while Dean examined her hands. Charleigh looked up at all the blood and became dizzy and fell backward in the tub.

She opened her eyes to find herself in Sam's bed with her pajamas on. She looked at her hands to find that they were both bandaged up and her head was throbbing. She glanced around to find she was alone. She heard voices coming from her room and trudged out of the bed and into her bedroom where she found Sam and Dean cleaning up the glass. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she wobbled on her feet. They both looked up in surprise. Sam quickly approached her and picked her up and carried her back to his bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"It's ok, we get it, we understand," he said reassuringly. "We'll clean it up and you get some rest. We'll talk later."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Charleigh waited anxiously for the boys to finish cleaning the mess she made. She was worried they were angry with her and she really didn't feel like battling with them. She herself couldn't believe she launched the chair at the window. Seeing her Mother again just brought back so many bad memories for her and she wanted nothing more than to be able to move on from that life. Finally, Dean came into the room carrying gauze and white medical tape. "Let me take a look at those hands," he said gently as he sat on the edge of the bed. Charleigh looked up at him uncomfortably and made eye contact, then quickly looked away. She sat up in the bed so Dean would be able to reach her hands. Dean reached out and took her hands and began unwrapping them. Charleigh closed her eyes at the sight of the blood soaked bandages. Suddenly, her stomach felt queasy and she slid off the bed and ran for the bathroom. Dean could see her urgency and didn't try to stop her. She made it to the toilet just in time and began to throw up. Dean followed behind her and held her hair away from her face. Once she was sure she was finished, she closed the toilet seat and sat down. She glanced down at her hands and saw several small slits that had blood trickling from them. "Feeling all right?" Dean asked as he crouched down in front of her. Charleigh nodded her head. "Your hands are a little cut up, but you don't need stitches and they should heal in no time," he said as he took her right hand first and placed a few gauze pads on it, and then taped it up. He quickly did the same with her left hand. "Come on kiddo, let's get you back in bed," he said, motioning to her to stand up. Charleigh pulled herself to her feet, still feeling uneasy. Dean could see her hesitation and scooped her into his arms and carried her back to Sam's bed. "Sam headed into town to have new glass put in your window," commented Dean as he placed her in the bed gently.

"I didn't mean to break the window," Charleigh stated.

"We know, but we'll have to come up with different ways for you to express your anger," Dean replied as he sat down next to her. "I'm really sorry about your Mom. Like we said, ghosts can be vengeful and say or do things that are hurtful or harmful."

"Nah…..that was pretty typical of her," replied Charleigh. "She rarely had a kind word to say to me." Dean had always thought he had a shitty childhood, but it seemed as if Charleigh's was far worse. His Mother was always so loving and nurturing before she had died. He couldn't imagine a mother being any different.

"Some people just hit rock bottom and never come back," replied Dean. "It wasn't your fault. I hope you know that."

"Yeah," sighed Charleigh. "I don't really want to talk about her anymore. She's not worth the energy."

"Sure," replied Dean, "but Sam and I are here if you ever do want to talk about her."

"Ok," she replied as she rolled her on her side, away from Dean. She wished that Dean and Sam weren't so kind to her, she didn't deserve it, and she didn't know how to respond. She thought about Dean holding her hair back when she was throwing up and even though it seemed like something so small, it was something her Mother had never done for her. She felt the urge to cry, feeling a lump develop in her throat, but she resisted. Dean got up from Charleigh's bed and headed over to his own. He grabbed Sam's laptop before sitting down and decided he could keep an eye on Charleigh while doing some research at the same time. When Sam came home they put the window back together and had a quick discussion about Charleigh. They decided they would postpone their trip to Detroit in order to give Charleigh more time to heal.

A few uneventful days passed and Charleigh's hands were getting better. She was able to keep them covered with large band aids instead of gauze and medical tape. The boys could see a change in Charleigh's demeanor and it worried them. She was quiet and agreeable and would only speak when asked a direct question. She wasn't the same child they knew four days prior. They decided that maybe she needed some time out of the house, so they took her to a nearby Dave and Busters. Charleigh was impressed with the variety of video games and had fun collecting tickets on her card. They played for a couple of hours and then had some pizza. After they ate, Charleigh headed into the bathroom. She noticed a group of teenage girls, around fifteen, giggling in the corner. She watched them for a moment and began to think of the group of friends that she left behind. Charleigh missed her friends.

"Do you have a problem?" questioned one of the girls as she flung her long red hair over her shoulder. "Or are you just jealous of our good looks?" she giggled along with her friends.

"Oh I'm definitely not jealous of your good looks," replied Charleigh. "I've seen better teeth than yours on a horse," she laughed as she headed toward the bathroom stall.

"This coming from a flat chested little freak," sneered the red haired girl. Her posse giggled at her comment. Charleigh took a step toward the group of girls. "Didn't your Mom ever teach you to match your clothes?" she laughed at Charleigh. That did it, Charleigh couldn't resist. She reached out and grabbed the red haired girl from the front of her shirt and pushed her up against the wall. The other girls watched and didn't know how to respond. Charleigh reached into her pocket quickly and yanked out her pocket knife. The three friends of the red haired girl ran from the bathroom screaming.

"You don't scare me," growled Charleigh.

"You're crazy!" screamed the girl as she pushed Charleigh with all her strength, sending her flailing backward. Charleigh felt herself crash against someone else and then felt two strong arms in her shoulders. She glanced over her shoulder to find Sam and Dean beside him.

"Oh shit," she sighed. Sam took Charleigh by the hand and led her from the bathroom while Dean apologized to the red haired girl. Charleigh was practically running to keep up with Sam's pace. They left Dave and Busters and made their way out to the parking lot. Sam flung open the back door of the car and Charleigh climbed in without saying a word. Sam closed the door and climbed into the passenger's side of the car with Dean following close behind. Charleigh could feel Dean's eyes on her as they headed out of the parking lot. "I wasn't going to hurt her," huffed Charleigh. Sam spun around in his seat to face her.

"You pulled a knife on her," he said disgustedly.

"She was just a little bitch," sighed Charleigh. "She didn't know how to keep her mouth shut." Sam threw his arms up in disgust. "What is the big deal?" demanded Charleigh. "It's not like this is the first time I've done something like this!"

" It will most definitely be the last," ground out Dean angrily from the driver's seat. Charleigh kicked the back of the seat with frustration and collapsed against the back seat with her arms crossed against her chest. They drove the remainder of the way home in silence. They pulled into the driveway to find that bobby was home from their hunt. Charleigh didn't waste any time. She jumped out of the car and stormed into the house.

"Hey kiddo," said Bobby as Charleigh flung open the door.

"Hi," replied Charleigh as Dean and Sam arrived behind her. Bobby saw the looks on their faces and knew something was up.

"Everything ok?" he asked as he looked from Charleigh to Dean and Sam.

"Oh yeah, just your average evening until Charleigh decided to pull a knife on a girl in the bathroom," replied Dean angrily as he directed his attention to Charleigh. "Go to your room," he ordered. Charleigh looked toward Bobby for support, but he just shrugged his shoulders. "Now!" demanded Dean.

"Fine!" yelled Charleigh as she turned and stormed upstairs to her bedroom. Sam took a seat at the table with Bobby while Dean paced the room.

"What the hell was she thinking?" questioned Dean, still fuming.

"I'm not trying to defend her, but look at her upbringing Dean," began Bobby. "I'm sure she spent a lot of time on the streets."

"I know," sighed Dean, "but she needs to know it's not acceptable."

"I agree," said Bobby, "but take some time to calm down before you deal with her." Dean agreed, he was way too angry at the moment and knew it would just turn into a shouting match with Charleigh. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and took a seat with Sam and Bobby. They discussed the hunt that Bobby just finished with for a while. Dean decided that he was calm enough to deal with Charleigh and headed up to her room. He opened the door to find her sound asleep in her bed, still in her clothes, laying on top of her covers. He decided their talk would have to wait. Dean slid off her shoes and covered her with the blankets, then kissed her gently on the forehead. She looked so sweet and innocent tucked in her bed, but Dean knew otherwise.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Dean headed back downstairs to the kitchen. "She's asleep," he sighed as he sat down.

"Are you sure she wasn't pretending?" questioned Sam.

"I'm sure," replied Dean as he buried his head in his hands and lowered his forehead to the table. "This kid is exhausting," he sighed.

"Well, kids usually are," commented Bobby. "Hang in there, she'll come around and she'll learn what's acceptable and what's not. You boys are doing a good job with her."

"I'm pretty sure she hates me," sighed Dean. "And after tomorrow she is definitely going to hate me."

"Do you want me to handle it?" asked Sam, feeling bad that Dean had to do most of the disciplining so far.

"No," replied Dean. "She likes you and I want her to feel comfortable going to one of us. I'm ok playing the bad cop role." Dean's cell phone began ringing. "Hi Ellen," said Dean as he flipped open his phone.

"Hi Dean," she replied. "There are a few hunters here who have some information about Charleigh and her Mother. I heard them talking about White Lighters and Dark Lighters. But anyway, they said they would be in town for a few more days and are willing to meet with you boys."

"Yeah, we'll head out tomorrow," replied Dean. "Do you think it's safe for Charleigh?"

"Oh yeah," replied Ellen. "I can't wait to see her and you boys of course."

"Thanks," replied Dean as he hung up and then retold the conversation to Bobby and Sam. Charleigh woke early the next morning and clicked on her television, not wanting to disturb anyone by wandering around the house. Sam and Dean woke early too so they could get ready to drive out to Nebraska. Dean peeked in Charleigh's room on the way to the shower and saw that she was awake. He knocked and then headed in. "Good morning," he said as he grabbed the chair from the desk and sat down next to her.

"Hi," replied Charleigh as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"We're going to head out to Nebraska to see Ellen today," he mentioned.

"Oh," she replied. "Are you bringing me?

"Yeah," replied Dean. "Once we're through here, you'll need to get packed up and get ready to go."

"I'll go brush my teeth and get dressed," she said as she went to slide off of the bed.

'Not so fast," replied Dean. "We need to talk about last night. I want you to tell me what happened," he said sternly. Charleigh sighed and then told him everything that happened. Dean listened intently without saying a word. "Where's the pocketknife now?" he asked when she was done explaining.

"My pocket," she replied.

"Hand it over," he ordered sternly. Charleigh fumbled in her pocket and pulled out the pocketknife. She handed it to him hesitantly.

"Will I get it back?" she asked. "It belonged to my best friend."

"That depends on if/when I think you are responsible enough to have it," he replied.

"Dean, I don't understand," she said innocently. "I threw a chair threw a window and you weren't angry with me at all, and you seem very angry about what happened last night."

"They are two completely different situations," replied Dean. "You were upset about your Mom and we understood that, but taking a knife to a girl because she said something that upset you is unacceptable. If it was a bad guy or a demon, yeah, that's understandable, but you threatened another child." As much as she didn't want to admit it, Charleigh understood what Dean was saying. Dean contemplated letting her off with a warning since it would be a long car ride to Nebraska, especially with a sore bottom.

"I understand what you are saying Dean," she replied. "But you have your way of handling conflicts and I have mine, and I don't let anyone bully me." Dean reached out and placed his fingers on her chin and positioned her so she was looking directly at him.

"That is not how you are going to handle conflicts anymore," he said sternly. "Do you understand?" Dean waited for Charleigh's answer. If she gave him an acceptable response, then he decided her would let her off with a warning, but if she gave him anything unacceptable, then she would be sitting with a sore bottom all the way to Nebraska.

"I understand, but I don't agree," replied Charleigh, matter of factly.

"Ok," sighed Dean. "I guess we are going to have to do this the hard way then."

"What does that mean?" demanded Charleigh as Dean stood up and took a seat on the edge of her bed.

"I'm going to have to give you a spanking Charleigh, so you understand that there will be consequences if you don't follow the rules," he replied as he reached over and lifted her from her spot and laid her across his lap, holding her in position with his leg. Charleigh stiffened her body and clutched onto the comforter on the bed. She was determined that she wouldn't cry and focused her attention on the patterns on the comforter. Dean gave her ten, hard spanks and then paused. He watched as Charleigh buried her face into the comforter and finished up with ten more hard spanks. Charleigh couldn't hold back and began sobbing into the comforter. Dean helped her to her feet and stood her in front of him. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You need to do as you're told," he said sternly. "Or you'll be finding yourself in this position a lot more."

"I hate you," sobbed Charleigh and then she flung her arms around Dean. Charleigh's reaction caught Dean by surprise and he put his arms around her, setting her gently on his lap. Dean let her cry into his shoulder until she was able to compose herself.

"We should be hitting the road soon," said Dean gently as he helped her to her feet. "You should bring your comforter and pillow," he suggested, "so you can get comfortable in the backseat." Charleigh nodded her head and about an hour later they all piled into the Impala, along with Bobby, and were on their to Nebraska.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

About 45 minutes into the car ride, Charleigh began to shift uncomfortably in her seat. Not only was her bottom sore, but she was bored out of her mind. Bobby glanced over at her and then picked up the pillow from in between the seats. "It might help if you sit on this," he suggested.

"I'm fine," she snapped, her face turning red with embarrassment.

"Suit yourself," he replied as he dropped the pillow between them. "We still have about four hours to go."

"Ugh," huffed Charleigh as she caught Dean looking back at her in his mirror.

"I also suggest that you drop the attitude," Dean warned. Charleigh quickly shifted her attention out her window. She tried to keep herself busy by counting the different license plates she saw along the highway. After another hour into the drive, Charleigh became even more restless. She couldn't stand Dean's music selections and Bobby was snoring loudly beside her.

"How much longer?" she asked.

"About 3 more hours," replied Sam. "Everything ok?" he asked as he turned in his seat to face her.

"Just bored," she replied.

"Well, I have just the solution," he replied as he reached for a folder between the seats. He handed the folder back to Charleigh along with a pencil. "Here's some schoolwork," he said, "there should be enough to keep you busy for the next 3 hours. Start with the Math."

"No fair," she protested as she took the folder from him. "It's the weekend. I'll do it tomorrow."

"No, you'll work on it now," replied Sam firmly.

"And if I don't?" she questioned defiantly.

"Then you'll go over my knee for the second time today," interrupted Dean calmly, but sternly. Charleigh felt her face flush red and she sank back into her seat with the folder. She was pretty sure that Dean would follow through on his threat and she decided it wasn't worth another spanking. She opened the folder and quietly started her worksheets. Dean glanced back at her through his mirror and was relieved that she was finally starting to understand that there would be consequences to her behavior.

"The music is too loud and Bobby is annoying," she mumbled from the backseat. Sam glanced back at her and then turned the radio off. After about another hour, they pulled off the highway and stopped at a gas station for a bathroom break. Charleigh was relieved to get out of the car and also that Bobby's snoring finally ended. As they headed inside and arrived outside the restrooms, Dean glanced down at Charleigh.

"Can I trust you to use the bathroom alone?" he asked as he looked down at her.

"Yes," replied Charleigh. "Besides, you took away my knife so it's not like I'll be stabbing anyone." Dean grinned and then knocked and opened the door to the women's room. He glanced around to find it was empty and allowed Charleigh to go in. He waited outside the door until she was finished and then handed her off to Bobby so he could use the men's room. Charleigh followed Bobby through the store. As they headed out, Charleigh snatched a lighter and quickly hid it in her jeans pocket. She continued to follow behind Bobby and they headed outside to the car. The remainder of the car ride was uneventful and they finally arrived at the Roadhouse. They headed inside and they were immediately greeted by Ellen. Ellen went to Charleigh first and gave her a big hug. Charleigh hesitantly returned the hug.

"Those are the hunters," said Ellen as she pointed to two gentlemen sitting at a small table by the bar. "I'll take Charlie," she said as she took Charleigh by the hand and led her through the bar and into a room that was set up like a family room with a couch, 2 chairs, and a TV. Bobby, Sam and Dean approached the two men.

"Ah, the Winchesters," said the older of the two men. He looked to be in his fifties with graying black hair and a short and stout build. The other man looked to be in his late teens, possibly early twenties. He was wearing a varsity football jacket and was a good looking kid with a muscular build and dark hair and eyes. "I'm Dan and this is my son Cole. I knew your Father well, he was a great hunter," said the man.

"Thanks," replied Dean as they all pulled up chairs to the table. "So Ellen said you have some information on Veronica Baxter?" questioned Dean, eager to get to the specifics.

"Ah yes, Veronica," he sighed. "She helped a lot of hunters on their hunts. She was one of the most reliable White Lighters around before her husband was murdered and then she destroyed herself with guilt. Her poor little girl suffered the most. We went looking for her daughter once we heard about Veronica, but we couldn't find her. Wherever she is, she's not safe," he commented.

"Whose after her?" asked Sam.

"A demon by the name of Saul," replied Dan. "He's one of the most powerful. His job is to capture the White Lighters before they become fully White Lighters. He locks the children away and does horrible things to them until they finally commit to a life of evil. His job is to build an army of Dark Lighters that will be used to destroy the angels."

"But they're just kids,' sighed Bobby disgustedly.

"Yeah," replied Dan sadly. "Veronica was a good friend of mine and we decided that it would be our mission, my son and I, to destroy Saul before he destroyed the lives of any other children. We'd also like to find Charleigh and save her if we can." Dean looked at Dan thoughtfully and decided that he could be trusted.

"Our Dad was Charleigh's father," said Dean. Dan's eyes widened in shock. "I guess she had an affair with him. But anyway, Charleigh is with us and she is safe. And we are all in to help you defeat Saul," said Dean as Sam and Bobby shook their heads in agreement.

"All right, let's destroy the bastard," replied Dan, excited to have the Winchesters joining him on their mission.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

The hunters remained in the bar area and discussed Saul in more detail. Meanwhile, Ellen made Charleigh some lunch. "Charleigh, what happened to your hands?" asked Ellen as she sat down at the table with her, noticing the band aids on both hands. Charleigh looked up at Ellen and frowned.

"The last four days have been horrible," she replied. "My Mom came back as a ghost. Sam and Dean helped me to get rid of her, but I lost it afterward and threw a chair through Bobby's window. Then yesterday, I threatened some bitch in the bathroom with a pocketknife and well, that didn't end too well with Dean."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry to hear about your Mom," replied Ellen. Charleigh frowned and then took a bite of her sandwich. "And I'm sure Dean handled the pocketknife situation appropriately."

"Yeah," sighed Charleigh. "By the way, where's Jo?" she asked curiously.

"We had a big fight and she took off on a hunt," replied Ellen.

"You let her hunt?" questioned Charleigh.

"I don't really have a choice," replied Ellen sadly. "She's an adult and she can make her own decisions."

"I'm sorry Ellen," said Charleigh as she reached across the table and took her hand.

"Thanks honey," she replied.

"Everything ok?" boomed Dean's voice, startling Charleigh.

"Of course," replied Ellen. "Charleigh's a little angel."

"How much did you have to drink?" laughed Dean as he approached them at the table. "Do you think we could stay in one of your spare rooms for a few nights? We're going to do some research and review notes with Dan and Cole."

"Of course," replied Ellen. "Charleigh can stay in Jo's room."

"Thanks," replied Dean. "Charleigh, I'd like to introduce you to a few hunters," he said as he motioned to her to follow him. Charleigh followed Dean out to the bar and to the table where all the men sat. She recognized the older man immediately.

"Charleigh," smiled Dan as he looked up at her.

"Hi Mr. Sullivan," she replied.

"You've met?" questioned Sam.

"Yeah, John wasn't the only one who used to check in on Veronica," replied Dan. "I tried to stop in a few times a year." Charleigh peered over at the younger man and blushed. He was younger than the other hunters and very cute, she thought to herself. "Charleigh, this is my son Cole," said Dan.

"Hi Cole," she blushed.

"Hi Charleigh," he smiled. Ellen barged her way into the group with a beer for each of them.

"Here you go boys," she said.

"Ellen, do you think it would be all right if I play some pool?" asked Charleigh as she spotted a pool table in the corner of the bar.

"Help yourself," replied Ellen. "This place will start filling up in a few hours and then you should head back to the apartment, it won't be an appropriate place for a little girl."

"Stop calling me a little girl!" snapped Charleigh rudely. Ellen was left speechless by Charleigh's outburst. Dean immediately stood up from the table and pulled Charleigh aside. Charleigh was beyond embarrassed as everyone watched her being reprimanded like a little child.

"Did you forget our conversation about respect?" he questioned sternly.

"No, maybe, I don't know," she grumbled.

"If you don't like something that someone says to you, then you ask them politely to stop," he explained firmly. "I want you to apologize to Ellen, she has been nothing but nice to you."

"Right now?" questioned Charleigh as she peered over to where Ellen was wiping down the bar.

"Right now," he ordered firmly. Dean released Charleigh and watched as she headed over to Ellen.

"Ellen?" questioned Charleigh. Ellen looked up to meet Charleigh's gaze. "I'm sorry, it's just that everyone has been referring to me as a little girl and well, I was just tired of hearing it."

"No problem honey," she smiled. "I get it. No worries." Charleigh headed over to the pool table and started to rack the balls.

"Mind if I play?" asked Cole as he appeared at the table.

"Not at all," blushed Charleigh. "But be prepared to lose."

"We'll see about that," he laughed. Charleigh was really good at pool and ended up beating Cole. "Pretty good for a girl," Cole commented. "How old are you?" he asked curiously. He could see Charleigh wasn't very old, but was amazed at her maturity.

"Nine," interrupted Dean's voice. Charleigh rolled her eyes with annoyance, but did it so Dean couldn't see. "How about I play the winner?" he suggested.

"Well that would be Charleigh," replied Cole.

"All right, let's see what you've got kid," he teased. Even though Charleigh held her own, Dean still won the game. However, Dean was very impressed with his little sister's pool skills.

"Dean, it's starting to get crowded," interrupted Sam. "I'm going to take Charleigh to the apartment." Dean looked around and nodded his head in agreement. "Let's go Charlie," said Sam. Charleigh was annoyed that they were making her leave.

"Oh come on," she pleaded. "I'm used to staying up until all hours of the night. I'll be fine."

"Bed time Charleigh," said Sam, attempting a stern voice.

"I don't want to," replied Charleigh. "Please, can I stay up just a little longer and play some more pool?" Dean took a step back to see if his little brother could handle his little sister. He knew if he intervened he would be able to set Charleigh straight, but he also wanted her to learn to respect Sam as well.

"No, let's go now or you'll be spending your entire day tomorrow doing schoolwork," he threatened. Charleigh eyed him defiantly, but finally decided that she would do as she was told.

"Ok, don't get your panties in a bunch," she laughed as she headed behind the bar and into Ellen's apartment. Dean smiled as he watched her walk away. Although he hated to admit it, he admired her spirit and she was beginning to grow on him. Charleigh headed upstairs with Sam. There were three bedrooms and Sam showed her to Jo's room. Charleigh felt awkward as she headed inside. It was a small room, decorated in a gray and black theme, with just a bed and a dresser. Sam placed Charleigh's duffel bag on the bed.

"I'll be in the room next door if you need me and the bathroom's at the end of the hall," said Sam. "Goodnight Charleigh."

"Ok, goodnight Sam," replied Charleigh. Sam left and closed the door behind him. Charleigh wandered around the room curiously. Jo had many little knickknacks on her dresser. Charleigh also spotted a pack of cigarettes. She just couldn't help herself and popped a few cigarettes out and stuffed them into her pocket along with the stolen lighter. After she brushed her teeth and put on her pajamas, she crawled into Jo's bed and was out like a light. The next morning she awoke before everyone else and changed into her clothes. She headed down to the bar to find it was quiet and empty, and then slipped out the back door. The Roadhouse pretty much sat in the middle of nowhere and outside the back door, there were green fields and a tree line beyond that. Charleigh took a walk into the field and pulled the cigarette from her pocket once she was far enough away so no one could see her. She sat down in the grass and enjoyed every puff of the cigarette. As she sat there, she noticed something blue lying in the grass a few yards from her. She headed over curiously to check it out. The closer she got, she noticed it was a person. Once she was directly above the body, she recognized it was Dan. "Dan?" she said as she nudged him. "Dan?" she said nudging him harder. He still didn't move. "He's dead," Charleigh whispered to herself, collapsing into the grass beside him.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

"Hi Charleigh," said an unfamiliar voice from behind her. Charleigh spun around to find a dark haired man wearing a tan trench coat.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded as she sprang to her feet.

"I'm Castiel," he replied.

"Are you here to kill me?" she asked worriedly. In the meantime, Sam woke up to find that Charleigh wasn't in Jo's room. He woke up Dean and they searched the inside of the apartment, and then the bar. Sam headed out the front door while Dean headed out the back door. Dean noticed Castiel in the distance and he instantly thought the worst. He called for Sam and took off running toward Castiel.

"No, I'm an angel," replied Castiel. Charleigh's eyes widened in surprise.

"No freakin way," she replied.

"Yes freakin way," replied Castiel in all seriousness.

"You're a little weird," commented Charleigh.

"So I've been told," he replied. "Do you know what happened to him?" asked Castiel, looking down at Dan.

"No, I found him like this and I think he's dead," replied Charleigh worriedly.

"He's not dead," replied Castiel as he kneeled down and placed his hand on Dan's head. When Castiel kneeled down, Dean could see Charleigh standing in the distance and was relieved.

"What are you doing to him?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"Healing him," replied Castiel. Dean finally made it to Charleigh and Castiel. Charleigh looked up at Dean and was speechless. She quickly put together a story in her head so Dean wouldn't find out why she was really in the field. Dean looked down at Dan and then up at Charleigh.

"What is going on?" he demanded, slightly angry, but even more confused. Castiel stood up.

"He should be all right in a few hours," commented Castiel and then he directed his attention toward Dean. "Hi Dean," he said. "I came to check in and I found the child out here in the field with Dan. She thought he was dead, but he is just unconscious. He'll be all right." As suddenly as he arrived, he disappeared. Sam finally caught up to them as Castiel disappeared.

"So cool," commented Charleigh, still in awe. Dean glared down at Charleigh and then turned toward Sam who was still trying to catch his breath.

"Let's get Dan inside," said Dean. Both Sam and Dean each grabbed onto a side of Dan and carried him back to Ellen's apartment. They brought him inside and laid him on the couch. Charleigh followed behind them.

"What the hell were you doing out there?" demanded Dean angrily as he turned and directed his attention to Charleigh.

"Dean, calm down," Sam intervened.

"Oh come on Sam," sighed Dean. "By now we know she was up to no good, as always." Charleigh became angry that he just assumed the worst from her.

"Screw you Dean!" she yelled angrily. "I just went for a friggin walk, that's it, and I found Dan! And it's a good thing I did go for a walk or he would still be out there!" Dean paced the room for a moment and then stormed out without saying a word. Sam could tell he was angry and knew he needed some space to calm down. "Ugh, he's such a jerk!" huffed Charleigh. Sam took a deep breath and turned toward Charleigh. He then picked up a chair from the table and sat it in the corner of the room so it was facing the corner.

"Sit there," he said sternly. "And I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth until I am ready to talk to you." Charleigh glared up at him. She thought Sam was on her side, but now she thought he was acting unfairly. "Now Charleigh," he said, raising his voice.

"Screw you too Sam!" she yelled. Sam took another deep breath and when Charleigh still didn't obey, he took her by the arm and led her to the corner.

"Sit down," he said again, sternly. "Dean's not the only one who can give you a spanking and right now my patience is wearing thin." Charleigh was surprised by his words and finally retreated. She huffed angrily as she sat down in the chair. She sat there quietly for what seemed like forever. She heard Ellen come downstairs and she heard Sam explain to her what had happened. Charleigh listened with embarrassment and could hear the disappointment in Ellen's voice when she responded to Sam.

While they were talking, Dan woke up and sat up on the couch. His head was throbbing and he had no memory of what happened to him. Sam and Ellen went to him right away to make sure he was all right and to try to get what information they could out of him. However, Dan explained that the last thing he remembered was heading back to their motel the night before. He remembered unlocking the door and letting Cole in, and then he remembered nothing after that. Dan quickly picked up his phone and called Cole. He was relieved when Cole answered. Oddly, Cole didn't remember anything either. "I'm going to go check out the field to see if we missed anything," mentioned Sam. "Please make sure Charleigh stays put," he said to Ellen. Ellen nodded her head in agreement. Sam headed out back and spotted Dean who was already looking over the place they found Dan. "Hey," said Sam, a few minutes later, when he reached Dean. "Find anything?"

"Nothing," replied Dean as he stopped looking to look up at Sam. "Did Dan wake up?"

"Yeah, he doesn't remember anything and neither does Cole," replied Sam.

"Strange," commented Dean.

"Are you ok?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," replied Dean. "I had to leave or I was about to do something that I knew I would regret. I thought she was coming around and now this. She has a hot temper and no filter."

"Hmmmmm," replied Sam. "Sounds familiar."

"I would have never talked to Dad like that," Dean snapped, defending himself. "I knew better."

"Yeah, well Charleigh doesn't," said Sam. "We have to remember this is all new to her."

"I know," sighed Dean. "I just feel like I am constantly punishing her for something."

"She hasn't really given us much opportunity to do anything else," replied Sam.

"Where is she now?" asked Dean.

"I put her in the corner," replied Sam. "I was too frustrated to talk to her." Dean laughed to himself at the thought of Charleigh agreeing to sit in the corner. They headed back to Ellen's to find Cole had arrived to check on his Dad. Meanwhile, Charleigh was mortified that Cole had seen her sitting in the corner. "Hey Cole," greeted Sam.

"Hey," replied Cole as he fished around for something in his pocket, and then pulled out a piece of crumpled paper. "I found this on my Dad's bed," he said as he handed the paper to Sam. Dean headed over to stand beside Sam. Sam opened the paper to find a photo of a fallen angel with the words - _This is her destiny._ - written on it. Dean and Sam both glanced at each other and then Sam ripped up the paper.

"Over my dead body," commented Dean angrily as he paced the room again.

"Sam, Dean," said Dan as he stood up warily from the couch. "Cole and I will head out tomorrow and check out the two leads we told you about and let you know if we find anything. We're going to head back to the motel to get some rest."

"Thanks," replied Sam.

"Thanks, we appreciate your help," replied Dean. "Stay safe."

"Don't be too hard on her," said Dan quietly as he brushed by Dean. Dean nodded in response. "Where the hell is Bobby?" questioned Dean once Cole and Dan left.

"He's in the den, still sleeping," replied Ellen. "I think he might be a little hung over. He had a few more drinks after you boys went to bed." Dean shook his head. He loved Bobby, but the man didn't know when to stop. Dean glanced over at Charleigh, still sitting quietly in the corner. He was impressed with her self control for the last hour, but finally called her out of the corner. Ellen headed out to the bar in order to give the boys some privacy. Charleigh quietly approached Sam and Dean and sat down on the couch. Dean grabbed a chair from the table and sat across from her while Sam sat down next to her.

"What do you have to say for yourself little girl?" questioned Dean calmly, but sternly.

"Nothing," replied Charleigh as she shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't do anything wrong. You never told me I couldn't go for a walk."

"You're right, we never told you that," replied Dean. "But for now on, you need permission before you leave anywhere. Besides the fact that you are being hunted by a demon, you are also only 9 years old, and you shouldn't be out wandering alone." Charleigh could feel herself becoming angry again.

"What? You're going to keep me locked up like a prisoner now?" she questioned angrily.

"No," replied Sam. "But we are going to treat you like any other 9 year old and that means getting permission before going anywhere."

"Fine," replied Charleigh. "Are we done?"

"No," replied Sam. "The way you spoke to us earlier was unacceptable Charleigh. Not only are we your brothers, but we are adults and we are responsible for you, and you need to show us respect, even when you are angry with us." Dean glanced over at his brother. He was impressed by Sam's lecture and with his patience in dealing with Chaleigh. "Saying "screw you" to us is not going to be tolerated. Do you understand?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh, wishing the lecture would just end. "Is that it?"

"No," replied Dean sternly. Charleigh looked over at Dean and she knew he was going to give her another spanking. "I can take it from here," Dean said to Sam. Sam stood up from the couch and headed out to the bar with Ellen. Dean took a seat next to Charleigh on the couch. "I can't let you disrespect us like that and get away with it," he said with disappointment.

"I'm sorry Dean," she pleaded. "Please don't spank me. I was mad and when I'm mad, I say things I don't mean."

"I know," replied Dean. "But it's not acceptable and you need to learn that." He paused for a moment. "Let's get this over with," he said as he reached over and pulled her across his lap. Charleigh reached for the pillow in the corner of the couch, pulled it toward her and buried her face in it. This time she didn't fight it and she started crying before Dean even started spanking her.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Charleigh was angry with herself for putting herself in the same situation repeatedly. She was even angrier with Sam and Dean. She thought they were unfair and mean. When Dean finished, he helped Charleigh to her feet and waited for the "I hate you", but it didn't come. Instead, Charleigh just walked away quietly and went upstairs to Jo's room. She crawled under the covers of the bed and sulked.

"Charleigh, we need to go!" called Sam's frantic voice from the doorway, a few hours later. Charleigh rubbed her eyes in an attempt to process what was going on. Sam ran toward her and lifted her from the bed. He carried her on his hip out of the bedroom and headed into Ellen's room.

"Sam, what's wrong?" asked Charleigh as she clung onto his shoulder tightly.

"Shhhh," whispered Sam as he opened Ellen's closet. They entered the closet and Sam pushed Ellen's hanging clothes apart to expose a small door. He set Charleigh on her feet and opened the door. There was a small staircase leading down. "Go ahead," he whispered. Just as Charleigh entered, there was a large crashing noise from downstairs. "Hurry Charleigh," gasped Sam. Charleigh could sense his urgency and hurried down the stairs. She arrived at the bottom with Sam closely behind. Sam put himself in front of her and slowly opened the door in front of him. He grabbed Charleigh's hand and led her outside into the darkness. Sam spotted the Impala and they took off running toward it. "Stop right there," demanded a voice as a body appeared in front of them. Sam quickly shoved Charleigh behind him. "Hand her over and no one gets hurt," demanded the man. He was a tall, slender man with black hair and dark eyes dressed in a business suit. Charleigh peered around Sam to see that the man's eyes were black. She latched onto Sam tightly. Just then Castiel appeared next to the demon. He touched the demon and the demon was destroyed before their eyes.

"Hurry, get her out of here," stated Castiel. "There are more on the way." Sam and Charleigh took off running toward the car. Charleigh hopped into the backseat and locked the door. Sam jumped into the driver's seat and quickly started the car and sped off.

"Where's Dean?!" questioned Charleigh worriedly. "And Bobby?! And Ellen?!"

"They are fighting the demons," replied Sam as he fought to catch his breath.

"Sam, we need to go back!" she cried.

"We need to get you to safety first," replied Sam.

"No!" cried Charleigh. "They can't die because of me! I'm not worth it Sam, please go back." Sam kept speeding away from the Roadhouse. "Please Sam!" Charleigh broke down into tears because she knew Sam wasn't going to turn back. She couldn't lose Dean, she thought to herself, she just couldn't. She thought about Bobby and Ellen and couldn't understand why they would put their lives on the line for her. Charleigh grabbed her comforter from the floor and wrapped it around her. She rested her head against the window and just stared out into the darkness. They continued to drive in silence.

After a few hours they pulled into an old motel parking lot that rested a few miles off of the highway. Sam helped Charleigh from the backseat and went to the office to get a room. An old man, looking to be in his eighties, handed them a key to their room. Sam grabbed a few bags from the trunk and led Charleigh inside to their room. He quickly locked the door behind them and began to salt the windows and door. Charleigh took a seat on one of the beds and watched in silence. Once Sam was sure the room was protected, he directed his attention to Charleigh. He felt bad when he saw her shaking. She looked tired, weak, and defeated to him. "Let's get you into bed," he said gently. Charleigh stood up, kicked her shoes off, and climbed into one of the beds.

"Sam," she said quietly.

"Yeah?" he replied gently.

"Can you lay with me?" she asked sullenly. Sam's heart ached at her request.

"Of course," he replied as he climbed in next to her. Charleigh inched her way as close as possible to him. Sam placed his arm around her and pulled her in closer so her head was resting on his shoulder. Charleigh began to sob quietly into his shoulder. Sam placed his cell phone on the nightstand and prayed that Dean would be in contact soon. He was worried about his brother, as well as Ellen and Bobby. He looked over at Charleigh and knew that she wouldn't be able to handle losing anyone else. They both laid awake in silence for hours waiting for the phone to ring, but it never did. They both finally fell asleep from exhaustion. Morning came and there was still no contact from Dean. Sam was worried and started to fear the worst.

"Sam, do you think they are d…d….dead?" stammered Charleigh the next morning. Just as she finished her question, Castiel appeared in the room with Dean. Although she was relieved and excited to see Dean, she lowered her eyes and looked down at the comforter. Sam jumped up from the bed and gave Dean a hug.

"You had me worried man," said Sam. "Where are Ellen and Bobby?"

"They're fine, just a little scratched up," replied Dean. "Bobby's at the Roadhouse trying to help Ellen put the place back together. I waited to contact you because I wanted to make sure we were in the clear." Charleigh was relieved to hear that everyone was safe.

"Hi kiddo," said Dean as he approached her. "Are you all right?" Charleigh remained silent. He sat down on the bed and placed his hand on her chin and raised her head to look at him. "Are you all right?" he asked again. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I thought you were dead," she replied. "I….I….I can't lose you Dean," she said sadly as more tears fell from her eyes.

"I'm right here Charleigh and I'm not going anywhere," he replied gently. Charleigh threw her arms around him.

"Thank you for protecting me," she sobbed into his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

"I love you too kiddo," replied Dean as he hugged her tightly. For the first time ever, Charleigh knew what it felt like to have a family. Sam watched Dean and Charleigh for a moment and was relieved they were both safe. A few minutes later Charleigh headed for the shower, she was happy that Dean had remembered the duffel bag that she had left at Ellen's.

"So where now?" asked Sam once he knew Charleigh couldn't hear them.

"Dan said that his family has a lake house in Upstate New York that no one uses anymore. He said we are welcome to use it anytime," replied Dean. "We could take her there and lay low for a while and try to figure out where this bastard is hiding out."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan," replied Sam. "I'm going to run across the street and grab some bagels and coffee. I'll call Bobby and let him know what's going on."

"All right," replied Dean.

"I will see you soon," Castiel said to Dean. Dean jumped, forgetting Cas was still in the room. "I'll come check on you in a few days."

"Yeah, thanks Cas," replied Dean as he watched his friend disappear. Dean collapsed onto one of the beds and closed his eyes for a few minutes. His mind wandered back to the events of the night before. They were attacked by at least twenty demons and somehow all made it through in one piece. Charleigh finished up her shower, threw on some clothes, and put her hair up in a towel. She headed out of the bathroom to find Dean sound asleep on the bed and decided not to wake him. Just as she flicked on the television, Sam came bustling through the door with a few plastic grocery bags.

"I got some juice and bagels," he said as he put the bags on a small table by the door.

"Thanks," she replied as she made her way to the table to sit down. Sam pulled out a small bottle of apple juice and placed it in front of her.

"Would you like plain or onion?" asked Sam as he opened the bagel bags to look inside.

"Plain," she replied. Sam reached inside and placed a bagel in front of her. "Thanks," she replied. Sam sat down at the table with her. "What's happens now?" asked Charleigh. "Are we headed back to Bobby's?"

"We're going to hide out for a while," replied Sam as he opened up a container of cream cheese and spread it on his bagel. "They know you're with us so we need to go somewhere that they won't look." Charleigh frowned and looked down at her bagel.

"I'm not worth it, just hand me over to them," she mumbled. Sam went to respond, but Dean beat him to it.

"I don't want to hear that nonsense come out of your mouth again," boomed Dean's voice sternly as he approached them at the table. "Do you hear me?"

"You guys could've gotten killed because of me," she replied, still looking down at her bagel. Dean sat down across from her and reached across the table and lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

"Charleigh, I don't want to have this discussion again," stated Dean firmly. "Sam and I will do anything to keep you safe. We are your brothers and we love you and nothing will change that." Charleigh nodded her head in response. Dean took a bagel from the bag and glanced over at Charleigh who was still staring down at hers. "Charleigh eat," he stated.

"I'm not hungry," she replied quietly as she set it down.

"We'll bring them in the car in case you're hungry later," replied Sam. They watched as Charleigh left the table and went and sat in front of the television. They exchanged worried glances and then hurried and finished up their bagels. As they headed out to the car, Sam suggested to Dean that they should get a Kindle or an iPod for Charleigh to help pass the time in the car since it would take them a couple of days to get to New York. Dean agreed, so they headed to a nearby Walmart before they got on the road.

"I'll run in," said Dean as he pulled into a parking spot.

"No!" gasped Charleigh from the backseat. Both Dean and Sam turned in their seats to face her. "It's ok, I don't need anything."

"I'll be back in five minutes," replied Dean.

"Ok," sighed Charleigh. Dean and Sam exchanged glances, and then Dean hopped out of the car. Charleigh watched anxiously as Dean headed inside. She kept her eyes on the door the entire time, waiting for him to come out.

"Charleigh, what's going on?" asked Sam curiously.

"How long has it been?" she asked anxiously.

"About 10 minutes," replied Sam.

"We have to go in there," she said worriedly as she pushed open her door. "He said he would only be 5 minutes. He might be in trouble." Sam hopped out of the passenger door and hurried over to Charleigh as she stepped out of the car. He took her arm gently and stopped her from running toward the store entrance. "Let me go Sam," she ordered as she tried to pull her arm from his grip.

"Dean's fine," he said gently, suddenly understanding what was going on with her.

"Everything all right?" asked Dean's voice as he appeared behind Sam.

"You said you would be 5 minutes," snapped Charleigh. Dean looked toward Sam with confusion.

"Charleigh was worried you were in trouble since you took longer than 5 minutes," replied Sam.

"Oh," replied Dean as he pat Charleigh on the head. "The line was long." Sam shook his head and realized that he would have to explain to Dean later what was going on with Charleigh. Dean handed his bag to Sam. "Here, you can get thing working for her," he grinned. "I bought some snacks too." They all climbed back into the car and headed on their way. Charleigh fell asleep about an hour into the drive.

"I think we may have a problem on our hands," said Sam once he knew Charleigh was asleep.

"Since when don't we have a problem?" replied Dean sarcastically.

"It's Charleigh, she's worried about letting you out of her sight," replied Sam. "She was panicked today when you weren't back in 5 minutes."

"That's not good," sighed Dean.

"Hopefully it will just blow over," replied Sam. They drove for another 10 hours, stopping for occasional bathroom breaks. Then they finally stopped at a motel in Ohio for the night. Sam headed for food and drinks while Dean took Charleigh to the room. Charleigh immediately turned on the television and flipped through the channels.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," Dean said as he placed their duffel bags on one of the beds. "Sam should be back in a few minutes."

"Ok," she replied guiltily. Charleigh watched as Dean headed into the bathroom. Knowing she only had a few minutes, she grabbed her duffel bag and a $100 dollar bill from the wallet that Dean left on the bed and slipped out of the motel room into the darkness. Although she wanted to be with them more than anything in the world, she didn't want to put them in danger anymore. She didn't want to worry about Sam and Dean every time they left her sight and she didn't want them to have to worry about her.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Charleigh made her way to the highway and raised her arm out with her thumb up in order to hitch a ride. The thought that hitchhiking could be dangerous never crossed her mind since she did it so frequently when she was living her Mom. She walked with her arm up for about ten minutes until a large tractor trailer finally stopped. She opened the passenger door and hopped in to find an older, heavy man with scraggly brown hair. He wore a tattered and torn blue flannel shirt and a Buffalo Bills baseball cap. "Hey Mister, where are you headed?" she asked.

"Detroit," he replied. Charleigh's eyes lit up in approval.

"No friggin way?" she grinned. "Can I ride along with you?" The man looked at her curiously. "I can pay you $100," she said when she saw he was hesitating.

"Sure kid," he replied. Charleigh buckled her seatbelt as she perched herself in the passenger seat. "I'm Charleigh," she said as she looked over at the man.

"Nick," he replied. "What's a little girl like you doing out here alone?"

"My brothers kidnapped me and I'm just trying to get back home," she replied.

"Maybe I should call the police?" replied the truck driver concerningly.

"No, that's not necessary," she replied. "I'm fine, but do you have a cell phone I could use to make a quick call?"

"Sure," he said as he handed his phone to her. Charleigh called her friend Sadie.

"Hello," answered a voice.

"Hey Sade!" exclaimed Charleigh.

"Charleigh?" questioned her friend.

"Yeah, I'm headed to Detroit now, could you meet me at the clubhouse in the morning?" she asked.

"Yeah Char, I'll be there," replied Sadie. Charleigh handed the phone back to Nick and leaned her head against the window and watched as the cars went by. She thought about Sam and Dean and a sickening feeling filled her stomach. She knew they would be angry when they saw she was gone, but she knew they would realize it was for the better and they would be relieved that they didn't have to look after her any longer. She missed them already and tears came to her eyes.

"You ok kid?" asked Nick when he heard her sniffling.

"Yeah," replied Charleigh sadly.

"Kid, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, sensing there was more going on than she was letting on.

"I have to," she replied. They drive the remainder of the night in silence. Charleigh fell in and out of sleep the entire way.

Meanwhile, in Ohio, Sam and Dean searched the entire area around the motel looking for Charleigh. Dean was beating himself up for leaving her alone while he took a shower, but he never imagined that she would run away. When there was no sign of her around the motel, they attempted to contact Castiel for help, but he didn't show. They thought about where she would go and Detroit was the first place that came to their minds, so they threw their bags into the car headed out. "What the hell is she thinking?" demanded Dean angrily as they sped down the highway.

"She doesn't want to put us in danger anymore," replied Sam. "I'm sure that's what she's thinking."

Meanwhile, Nick finally arrived at his destination in Detroit that morning and Charleigh hopped out of the truck. She shook his hand and handed him the money. "You keep it kid," he said kindly. "I'm sure you're going to need it." Charleigh smiled at his kind gesture and headed off toward the downtown area. She grabbed a cab to take her the rest of the way. The cab arrived at an abandoned old Church and Charleigh handed the driver her $100 bill and waited for the change. It was the place her and her friends called the Clubhouse.

Meanwhile Sam and Dean were about 20 minutes outside of Detroit, but had no idea where to go once they got there. Suddenly, Cas appeared in the car with them. "Hi Dean, Hi Sam," he announced from the backseat, startling them. "The child is not here. What happened to her?"

"She ran away," Dean announced worriedly.

"How do you know she is in Detroit?" asked Cas.

"We don't," replied Sam, "but it's the only place that makes sense."

"I will go look for her," announced Castiel and then he disappeared.

Meanwhile, Charleigh entered the Church and her friend Sadie appeared in front of her instantly. Sadie was older than Charleigh, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She lived in the same apartment building as Charleigh and they were very close. "Charleigh!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around her. Charleigh smiled and returned the hug. She was happy to see Sadie's familiar face. "What are you doing here?" asked Sadie.

"My foster home sucked," replied Charleigh. "So I ran away." Suddenly, five more friends of Charleigh's appeared. "Hi guys," said Charleigh as she looked at them in surprise. They were her friends Ethan, Gloria, Ben, Kasey, and Joe.

"Hi Charleigh," they replied. As Charleigh peered at them, something didn't seem right.

"I thought you'd want to see everyone," replied Sadie happily. "Everyone was so excited that you were headed back." Charleigh took a few steps back away from Sadie. Suddenly, the rest of her friends surrounded her and Sadie.

"Guys, what are you doing?" asked Sadie. Charleigh watched as their eyes changed to all black. Sadie screamed in horror. "What's happening?!" she cried out.

"They're demons," replied Charleigh calmly, wondering if there was any holy water left in the Church. She learned from Sam and Dean that holy water will stop them temporarily. Sadie latched onto Charleigh. Suddenly, Castiel appeared in the circle with them. He touched both Charleigh and Sadie and tried to transport them away, back to Dean's car. However, when they arrived at Dean's car, only Sadie was with him.

"Who the hell is that?!" demanded Dean. "And where is Charleigh?!" Sadie was speechless in the backseat, sobbing hysterically.

"It didn't work, I couldn't transport her," replied Cas with confusion and worry. "I need to go back. Sadie will tell you where to go." Castiel disappeared again back to the Church. Charleigh and the demons weren't where he had left them. He searched the Church until he finally found them in the basement. He entered the basement to find Charleigh tied to a chair with tape across her mouth, bleeding from her forearm. He spotted an angel banishing sigil on a chair next to her, drawn from her blood. One of the demons freed one of Charleigh's hands and placed it on the sigil, sending Castiel away instantly. Charleigh watched in horror as her only chance of escape was there and gone. This was it, she thought to herself. She was getting exactly what she deserved. Charleigh bowed her head in defeat and tears fell from her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! Thank you!**_

Sam and Dean tried to decipher the hysterical cries of Sadie when they attempted to get the whereabouts of Charleigh. "Sadie, this is important," stated Dean sternly as he turned to her in the backseat. "Charleigh is in danger. So stop your blubbering and tell us how to find her!"

"Ok, ok," hiccupped Sadie. "She's on Grove St. at an abandoned church." Sam quickly googled Grove St on his phone and found the location of the church. They started on their way as fast as they could during the morning rush hour traffic.

Meanwhile, Charleigh awaited her fate. She heard the demons discussing how they were going to transport her to their "boss". She couldn't believe how stupid she was to walk directly into their trap. She knew she should've known better than to return home. Her friend Joe, now a demon, approached her with a large needle and injected it into her arm. Within a few minutes, Charleigh felt her body going limp and her eyes beginning to close and then everything went dark.

Meanwhile, Lenora Richards, a resident of Detroit, Michigan, received a frantic call from her friend Castiel while she was on her way to work. Lenora was an older and beautiful woman in her mid forties with long, flowing blonde hair and light blue eyes. She owned her own clothing boutique in downtown Detroit. Lenora was also a White Lighter and Castiel was the one who protected her from the demons during her teen years. This was the first time Castiel has contacted her for help and she was more than happy to return the favor. Castiel quickly gave her an address and told her a fellow White Lighter was in danger. Lenora wasted no time and weaved in and out of rush hour traffic to get to the address. Lenora arrived at the abandoned church and sensed the demons right away. She searched the upstairs and found no one and finally found a door leading downstairs. She slowly descended the stairs, hoping they hadn't taken Charleigh away yet. She reached the bottom and spotted Charleigh's lifeless body tied to a chair in the corner. She was surprised to see such a young child.

A demon appeared in front of her and attempted to project her into the wall, but his powers didn't work on her. Lenora raised her right hand and exorcised the demon within seconds with a ball of white light, watching the young boy's body drop to the ground. She rounded the corner to Charleigh and three more demons in the bodies of teenage children approached her. She systematically exorcised each one. As she reached Charleigh, she felt a sharp blow to her head and she tumbled to the cement floor. She turned to find another demon with a knife. White Lighters were immune to demon powers, but could be killed just like humans. He stepped closer in an attempt to stab her, but she quickly held up her hand and the body of another teenage boy dropped before her. Lenora untied Charleigh and carried her upstairs to her car. She decided she would take her back to her house until she heard from Castiel again. She laid her gently in the backseat and figured the demons must've given her a tranquilizer. Once they arrived at her home, she carried Charleigh inside and laid her on the couch.

Meanwhile, Sam and Dean arrived at the church and hurried inside. They found Charleigh's friends sitting at the old pews. Some were holding their heads and some were vomiting. "Where is Charleigh?" demanded Dean. They looked up at Sam and Dean with fear.

"We don't know," gasped her friend Ethan. "Some weird shit just happened to all of us and we have no clue what is going on." Sam and Dean exchanged glances and wasted no time in searching the church. They found the basement and saw the angel banishing sigil on the chair, drawn in blood.

"They banished Castiel," sighed Sam.

"This doesn't make sense," replied Dean. "Someone must've exorcised the demons from those kids, but who?"

"I don't know," replied Sam worriedly. They quickly wasted no time in searching the rest of the church, but no Charleigh. They headed back to the group of kids. "Do you guys remember anything?" asked Sam.

"I do," replied her friend Joe. "I remember a woman, with blonde hair, and she shot a ball of white light from her hand. She saved us and she must've taken Charleigh."

"A White Lighter," sighed Sam as he looked over at Dean. They drove Charleigh's friend Sadie home and headed to a nearby Library to see if they could find anything on White Lighters.

Meanwhile, Charleigh opened her eyes to the unfamiliar surroundings. She looked around anxiously to find herself in a room with a couch and a television. "Hi honey," said an unfamiliar woman's voice. Lenora appeared beside her. "You're safe now," she said reassuringly. "My name is Lenora."

"Is this hell?" grumbled Charleigh.

"No," replied Lenora. "This is my home."

"How did I get here?" questioned Charleigh.

"I brought you here," she replied. "I am a White Lighter like you and I exorcised the demons in order to save you."

"How did you know?" questioned Charleigh.

"Castiel called me," she replied.

"Where is he?" asked Charleigh worriedly as tears came to her eyes.

"He's ok, he'll be back soon, angels can only be banished temporarily," she replied kindly.

"When can I use my powers?" asked Charleigh curiously as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Not until after puberty," smiled Lenora. "Could be anytime between 13-17."

"Ugh," sighed Charleigh.

"Until then you need to stay clear of any demons," she replied.

"I've heard," replied Charleigh. "Did you know Veronica Baxter?" asked Charleigh.

"Yeah," sighed Lenora. "We were friends. I trained her to use her powers." Suddenly it clicked and Lenora looked at Charleigh curiously.

"Are you Charleigh?" she asked.

"Yeah," mumbled Charleigh.

"Oh honey, I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your Mom," she said gently as she reached down and took Charleigh's hands in hers.

"It's fine," snapped Charleigh as she pulled her hands away. "Her dying was the best thing that ever happened to me." Lenora looked at her with confusion. She hadn't spoken with Veronica since the birth of Charleigh, but she always seemed like she would be a good and loving Mother. Charleigh began to feel dizzy and sank back down into the pillows on the couch. She closed her eyes as her head began to pound.

"I'll get you some water and Tylenol," Lenora offered as she headed for her kitchen. As she arrived in the kitchen, her phone rang and she looked down to find the same number that Castiel called from earlier. Castiel thanked her and they spoke briefly. He let Lenora know that he was going to send Charleigh's brothers to pick her up. Lenora hung up her phone and headed back into the Living Room to Charleigh. "Good news," smiled Lenora as she placed the water and Tylenol on the coffee table. "Your brothers have been looking for you and are on their way to pick you up." Charleigh's eyes widened in surprise and she went to slide off the couch in an attempt to leave before they got there. However, seconds later the doorbell rang.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking in later chapters. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Charleigh reached out and grabbed Lenora's hand and looked at her pleadingly. "Please tell them I'm not here," Charleigh pleaded as she attempted to stand up. She instantly tumbled back onto the couch, her legs still numb from the tranquilizer.

"Honey, I can't do that," she replied in an apologetic tone. "I've heard a lot about Sam and Dean Winchester and they sound like good guys, even heroes, and they are your brothers and they want to protect you, so let them." Charleigh released Lenora's hand and frowned. "I'm sorry honey," she said gently. The doorbell rang again and Lenora headed for the door. Charleigh grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and covered herself from head to toe.

"You must be Sam and Dean," greeted Lenora as she opened the door.

"Yes, are you Lenora?" asked Dean impatiently.

"Yes," she replied. "Come in." She gestured for them to enter the hallway.

"Hi Lenora, I'm Sam," greeted Sam politely as he extended his hand.

"Hi Sam," she replied as she shook his hand. "And you must be Dean?" she questioned as she eyed him curiously.

"Yeah," replied Dean, still impatient. "Is Charleigh here?"

"Yes, your sister is here and she's safe. They gave her a tranquilizer, so her muscles are still weak," answered Lenora. "She has a gash on his right forearm that I cleaned up and bandaged. It doesn't look like stitches will be necessary."

"Thank you for everything Lenora," said Sam thoughtfully.

"Yeah, thank you," said Dean appreciative. "If it wasn't for you, they would've had her by now."

"I was happy to help," she smiled. "She's right through this doorway. I'll be in my office if you need me." Charleigh could hear boot steps approaching the couch from behind her. She curled up into an even smaller ball under the blanket. She felt the blanket being pulled down and she looked up to find Sam and Dean peering down at her. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position and immediately looked down at her lap, refusing to make eye contact with them. Sam took a seat next to her on the couch while Dean took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of her.

"Hi Dean, hi Sam," she whispered hesitantly.

"You had us worried sick," Dean stated.

"I don't know why you came looking for me," she replied with annoyance in her tone.

"Did you really expect us to not look for you?" demanded Dean angrily, raising his voice. Charleigh flinched and starting fiddling with her fingers nervously. Dean reached over and turned her head so she was facing him. "Look at me," he stated firmly. Charleigh slowly raised her eyes to meet his and tears instantly came to her eyes. "I want to hear everything, from the beginning, along with why you thought it was a good idea to run away.

"No," snapped Charleigh defiantly. "It doesn't matter. I did what I thought I had to do." Dean took a deep breath and stood up from the coffee table. He started to pace the room and returned to stand above Charleigh.

"What you did was selfish and stupid!" yelled Dean angrily as he hovered above her.

"Stop yelling at me Dean!" Charleigh yelled back angrily. Sam stood up from his spot on the couch and took Dean's seat in front of Charleigh.

"Charleigh," began Sam calmly. "We are happy that you are safe, but we're angry that you just up and left. You had to know we would come looking for you."

"Well, you shouldn't have," snapped Charleigh.

"That's not the point Charleigh!" yelled Dean as he appeared behind Sam. "You left without permission, put your life in danger, AND you stole from me!"

"Ok, yes, that's what I did!" Charleigh shot back angrily. "If you want to hear me say that I'm sorry, you're going to be waiting a long time because I'm not sorry, I left because I didn't want to put you in danger anymore!" Charleigh was angry and emotional. She turned her back on Sam and Dean and buried her head in the seat cushions. She sobbed quietly into the cushions. Sam looked to Dean and shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's just head out," said Dean. "We need to get her far away from here." Sam agreed and went and found Lenora. They thanked her again. Lenora gave them her number and said she would be more than happy to help Charleigh once she gained her powers. "Can you walk yet?" asked Dean as he went back to Charleigh.

"I'm not going with you," replied Charleigh with her face still buried in the cushions.

"I've had enough of this," ground out Dean impatiently as he reached down and scooped her into his arms. "You, young lady, do not have a choice," he said firmly. Charleigh kept her mouth shut as Dean carried her out to the car and laid her in the backseat. He snapped the seatbelt around her waist and placed her pillow under her head and covered her with the comforter. They drove for hours in silence. They stopped once to use a bathroom and to grab some snacks and Charleigh finally had the feeling back in her legs. Finally, they were back in Ohio and they decided to stop for the night. Dean grabbed the duffel bags from the trunk while Sam checked into a room. "Let's go Charleigh," he said as he opened the back door to the Impala. Sam came back with the room key and opened the door to their room. "Here, I grabbed your bag from the church," said Dean as he handed over her duffel bag to her. "I want you to go take a shower and then I want to take a look at your arm."

Charleigh took an extra long shower and then put on her blue plaid pajamas. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then headed out from the bathroom. "Let me see that arm," said Dean from a table in the corner of the room. Charleigh approached Dean and took a seat at the table. She rolled up her sleeve to expose a gash about 2 inches long across her arm. Dean examined it quickly, put some ointment on it, and wrapped it up.

"Can I go to bed?" asked Charleigh as she pulled down her sleeve.

"No," replied Dean firmly as he pulled up a chair directly in front of Charleigh. Sam, who was laying on one of the beds, closed his laptop and headed over to the table too. "Charleigh, look at me," began Dean calmly, but sternly. Charleigh obediently looked up at Dean. When her eyes met his she knew this was it, that she was in trouble. "What you did was wrong," began Dean. "You keep justifying your actions, but the reality is, you made poor choices and broke the rules."

"Is there anything else you'd like to say to us?" asked Sam. "Maybe you'd like to explain yourself?"

"No," replied Charleigh stubbornly as she crossed her arms and looked toward Sam.

"All right then," replied Dean.

"I'm going to grab us some dinner," said Sam as he stood up from the table. He glanced at Charleigh empathetically and headed for the door. He felt bad for her, but he also knew she deserved whatever Dean dished out. Dean went over and sat on one of the beds.

"Come here Charleigh," he ordered sternly. Charleigh hesitated, but finally pulled herself up and walked slowly over to where Dean sat. "Why are you being punished?" he asked. Charleigh contemplated a smug remark, but decided against it.

"Because I was left without permission and I stole from you," she frowned. "I made you and Sam worry and I was selfish and put myself in danger." Dean nodded in approval.

"Take down your pajama bottoms," he ordered.

"What? No way," snapped Charleigh as her face flushed red. Dean impatiently reached for her waist band and attempted to pull them down while Charleigh fought to keep them up.

"Keep it up young lady and you'll be losing your underwear too," he warned. Charleigh was shocked at his words and quickly moved her hands away. Dean yanked her pajama bottoms down and lifted her over his lap. Charleigh scrunched up the comforter beneath her hands and buried her face. Dean began spanking her and Charleigh gasped at how much more it hurt without her pants on. The sobbing started instantly. Dean gave her about 25 spanks before he stopped. He let Charleigh sob over his lap for a few more minutes and then helped her up. He turned her to face him. "You don't steal and you don't run away. Do you understand?"

"Yes," hiccupped Charleigh. Dean took her and sat her on his knee and rubbed her back while she continued to cry into his shoulder. "Sam and I want you with us and we want to protect you," he said gently. "Promise me you won't run away again."

"I promise," she replied.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Sam entered the motel room about an hour later with the bags of take out. He saw Charleigh laying on her side on one of the beds looking at her Kindle and Dean was sitting on the other bed with his laptop on his lap. "Everything ok?" asked Sam as Dean looked up at him.

"Yeah," replied Dean as he glanced over at Charleigh. "For now anyway." Sam grinned and placed the take out on the table along with a twelve pack of beer. Dean placed his laptop on the bed and headed over to the table and grabbed a beer. "Thanks Sammy," he said as he twisted the top off. "This is just what I needed."

"Charleigh, it's time to eat," announced Sam.

"I'm not hungry," she replied without looking up from the Kindle.

"Charleigh, get over here now and eat something," ordered Dean. Charleigh looked up and huffed. She placed the Kindle on the bed and hopped off. She headed over to the table and glanced down at the hard surfaces of the chairs and knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.

"Can I just eat in my bed?" she asked. Sam, realizing her concern, headed over to the bed and grabbed a pillow.

"Here," he said as he placed it on the chair next to Charleigh. Charleigh blushed as she sat down in the chair. She was surprised at how much her bottom still hurt even with the pillow.

"Ugh," she huffed. "I don't know why you couldn't just ground me or something. This hurts so bad."

"That's the whole point," replied Dean firmly. "I want you to remember this next time you think about doing something stupid." Charleigh knew she definitely wouldn't forget anytime soon.

"Are brothers even allowed to punish their sisters?" she questioned curiously. "It's not like you're my Dad or anything."

"If their sisters are disrespectful, little pains in the ass, then yes," replied Dean wondering where she was going with this. "And trust me, you should be happy that I'm not your Dad (meaning John) or you would be a lot worse off than you are."

"Besides, Dean is the closest thing you have to a Dad now, so I suggest you start following the rules," said Sam as he placed a Styrofoam container in front of her.

"Well, spankings are for babies," she piped up. "And I'm not a baby."

"Spankings are for disobedient children, not just babies," replied Dean, becoming frustrated with the conversation.

"I don't think you should be allowed to spank me anymore," she replied matter of factly. That was it for Dean, he leaned over and took a hold of her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Let's get something straight Charleigh," he began sternly. "I will spank you anytime and anywhere that I feel it's necessary to get a point across. And the same goes for Sam. It's not your decision if and when you get a spanking. Do you understand?"

"Yes," pouted Charleigh, realizing she wasn't going to win this conversation.

"All right, now eat," ordered Dean. Charleigh popped open her Styrofoam container to find a turkey and cheese sandwich with potato chips and a pickle. She nodded approvingly and picked up her sandwich to eat. She pouted all the way through dinner while Dean and Sam discussed what had happened with Lenora and the demons. After dinner, Sam called and had a rollaway delivered to their room. Charleigh figured it was for her and immediately hopped in after Sam made the bed.

"Charleigh, one more question," said Sam as he pulled the covers over her and up to her chin.

"How did you even get to Detroit?" he asked curiously.

"I hitched a ride with a trucker," she replied proudly.

"You what?" demanded Dean from the other side of the room. Dean hurried over to the rollaway where Charleigh was laying.

"You heard me," she replied.

"Charleigh, that was so dangerous," commented Sam.

"His name was Nick, he was a nice old man," she commented.

"Well, he could have been a pervert or something even worse," replied Dean angrily. "Don't ever go with anyone you don't know. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but what's a pervert?" she asked.

"A person who does bad things to children," replied Sam.

"Oh," replied Charleigh. "Ok, I won't do it again."

"That's a good girl," replied Sam as he kissed her forehead. "Goodnight kiddo."

"Goodnight Sam," she replied, happy to be back with her brothers.

"Goodnight Charleigh," said Dean as he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight Dean," she replied as she looked up at him thoughtfully. As much as she wanted to hate him for spanking her, she couldn't. She liked the feeling of having someone looking out for her and she no longer felt like she had to face the world on her own.

The next morning they were on the road to New York bright and early. Sam gave Charleigh enough school work to keep her busy for most of the car ride. Even though Charleigh hated the work, she was happy to have something to do since they would be on the road for another 8 hours. After a few pit stops for food and to use the bathroom, they finally made it to their destination. They arrived at a quaint little cabin that sat on a small lot beside Saratoga Lake. They headed inside to find two small bedrooms, a kitchen, a small bathroom, and a small family room. The window in the family room overlooked the lake. It was a cool, brisk Fall day and all the trees around the lake were changing colors. "Wow, this is perfect," smiled Charleigh as she peered out the family room window. Dean stopped and looked at Charleigh for a moment. It was the first time since she had been with them that she looked happy.

"I guess you do know how to smile," he commented.

"Sometimes I remember how," replied Charleigh.

"Well, hopefully you will remember more often," he said as he continued to carry the duffle bags to the bedrooms.

"There's even a washer and dryer in the basement," commented Sam as he came clunking up the stairs. Charleigh thought he looked funny in such a small house since he was so big.

"Your head almost touches the ceiling," she commented.

"Yeah, this cabin was definitely not built for someone taller than 6 foot," he laughed. They spent the remainder of the evening demon proofing the cabin. They put devil's traps above every door and window, as well as salting the windows. Charleigh watched out the window as they moved about the cabin. She noticed a group of kids playing freeze tag at a cabin a few cabins up from them. She wished that she could be a normal kid and go and play with them. Sam noticed Charleigh watching and went and stood beside her. "Maybe once we get settled in and get to know the neighbors, we can let you play with some of the kids here," he suggested.

"Ok," she replied.

"Well, I am going to make a run to the market and stock up the refrigerator and cabinets," announced Sam.

"I know you like your organic shit, but please don't forget the junk food," commented Dean.

"Sure, Dean," replied Sam. "Is there anything you would like Charleigh?" he asked.

"Chocolate milk," she replied. "I love chocolate milk."

"And don't forget the pie," Dean added. Charleigh and Sam chuckled at Dean's requests.

"And you laugh," mentioned Dean as he approached Charleigh.

"Sometimes I remember how to do that too," she replied. Dean looked at her thoughtfully and was happy to see her real personality finally coming out.

"I'll be back soon," said Sam as he headed out the door.

"Let's go take a look at the lake," suggested Dean as they headed outside. There was a small swing tied to a tree beside the lake and Charleigh took a seat on it. Dean got behind her and started pushing her. Charleigh smiled with happiness. She already loved this place and hoped they could stay there forever. After a while, they headed back inside and Charleigh hopped in the shower and then got ready for bed. When she came back out in her pajamas, she saw that Sam was home and unpacking the groceries.

"Is there any way for Bobby to send me the rest of my clothes?" she asked Sam as she stepped into the kitchen. "I didn't pack much."

"We can go shopping tomorrow and get you more stuff," replied Sam.

"Ok, thanks," she replied.

"I'm going to put a load of wash in," Dean said as he appeared behind Charleigh. "Why don't you give me your dirty clothes and I'll wash them?" he suggested.

"Ok," replied Charleigh as she headed into her bedroom and pulled out her jeans and sweatshirt. She brought them out and handed them to Dean. "Thanks," she said. Charleigh headed back to her room and grabbed her kindle from the dresser and decided to start ready Harry Potter.

"Charleigh?" boomed Dean's voice from her doorway. She looked up from her Kindle to find Dean holding her lighter and her last two cigarettes that she took from Jo. Her eyes widened in surprise. "These were in your jeans pocket," he stated angrily.

"Oh shit," she sighed.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Dean entered her bedroom and took a seat on the edge of her bed. "Where did they come from?" he asked sternly.

"Dean, I'm sorry," pleaded Charleigh as she sat up in her bed. "Don't be mad at me."

"Where did they come from Charleigh?" he repeated himself louder and sterner. Charleigh frowned, she hated this. She hated always being in trouble. She hesitated with responding because she knew he would go through the roof when she told him. "Charleigh," he demanded.

"I stole the lighter and I took a few of Jo's cigarettes from her dresser," she replied quickly and nervously. "But it was a few days ago and I've learned my lesson, please Dean, I am sorry." Dean took a deep breath as he looked over at her. "Are you going to spank me?" she asked nervously.

"This is the deal," he replied calmly, but still in a stern voice. "You're going to write 100 times – I will not steal, 100 times – I will not smoke, and 100 times – I will not swear. I want you to start working on it first thing in the morning." She was surprised that he was so calm, but she was still annoyed with the punishment. She hated writing lines.

"That's so much writing," snapped Charleigh with annoyance in her tone.

"It's either that or you can go for round 5 over my knee," he replied firmly.

"Ok, ok, I will write the lines," she frowned.

"Don't make me regret this," he commented sternly.

"I won't," she mumbled.

"Good, time for bed," he said as he stood up and helped her pull the blanket over her. "Goodnight kiddo," he said as he kissed her forehead.

"Good night Dean," she replied. Dean headed out of her room and to the kitchen where Sam was still putting away groceries.

"How'd it go?" replied Sam.

"She's going to do the lines," replied Dean with a relieved tone to his voice. "She's in bed waiting for you to say goodnight." Sam headed out of the kitchen. In the meantime, Dean's phone rang. "Hi Bobby," he greeted.

"Hey Dean," replied Bobby from the other end. "I have some coordinates of where Saul might be keeping the White Lighters. I captured a demon lurking around here yesterday and it didn't take much to make him spill."

"Where do the coordinates lead?" asked Dean curiously.

"To a rural area of Pennsylvania," replied Bobby. "Do you want to meet up in Pennsylvania and head in together?" asked Bobby.

"Yeah," replied Dean. "Let me talk to Sam and I will call you back." Dean clicked his phone off and closed it.

"Who was that?" asked Sam as he headed back into the kitchen.

"It was Bobby," replied Dean. "He has coordinates of where Saul may be keeping the White Lighters," replied Dean anxiously. "He wants to know if we want to meet up and check it out."

"What about Charleigh?" asked Sam. "We can't take her anywhere near there."

"One of us needs to stay here," replied Dean.

"I will," replied Sam. Even though he wanted to help Dean and Bobby, he knew someone had to protect Charleigh and he knew Dean would never allow him to go instead.

"All right," replied Dean. "I'm going to call Bobby and get packed up. I'm going to head out tonight."

"Dean, you can't leave without saying goodbye to her," urged Sam. "She won't be able to handle that."

"I don't think she'll be able to handle me saying goodbye either," replied Dean. "I'll call her in the morning when I'm on the road." Sam sighed in disagreement. He knew it wasn't going to rest well with Charleigh. Dean called Bobby back and packed up some stuff and found Sam waiting in the living room for him. "Make sure she does her lines and discuss the dangers of smoking with her. Hell, show her some of those videos of people with lung cancer and shit from smoking and maybe she'll get the message," said Dean. Dean went to reach for the door handle and then stopped to look back at Sam. "And Sammy, don't take any of her crap," he grinned.

"Yeah, bye Dean," replied Sam. "Call me and keep me updated."

"I will," he replied. "Bye Sam." Sam listened as the Impala roared off into the darkness. He stayed on the couch for a while and finally fell asleep there. He woke the next morning to Charleigh opening and closing cabinets in the kitchen looking for something to eat.

"Hey kiddo," he said as he entered the kitchen.

"Hi Sam," she replied.

"I can make you some scrambled eggs or something," he suggested.

"Sure, sounds good," she replied. "Is Dean still sleeping?" she asked curiously since he told her to start her lines in the morning.

"He had to head out for a few days to help Bobby on a hunt," replied Sam, waiting for the fireworks to begin.

"What?" demanded Charleigh. She stood frozen for a few moments as a lump formed in her throat and her head began to pound.

"I'm sorry honey," replied Sam. "He had to leave last night and he didn't want to wake you up and worry you."

"Is he going to come back?" asked Charleigh worriedly.

"Don't worry," said Sam gently as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "He'll be back." Charleigh took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. He was surprised at how well she was handling the news. "Let's eat some breakfast and then you can work on your lines," he stated as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs. Sam grabbed one of the notebooks that he had left on the counter and handed it to Charleigh along with a pencil. "Here, you can get started while I make breakfast," he said. She accepted the notebook and opened it to the first blank page. She started writing and quickly lost focus and began doodling on the side of the page. "I can see this may take all day," commented Sam as he appeared over her shoulder. "Here, you can eat first," he said as he handed her a plate with scrambled eggs. Sam took a seat across from her at the table.

"Do I have to write lines?" she asked pleadingly.

"Yes Charleigh," replied Sam. "Besides, I'm sure Dean's going to want to see them when he gets back."

"He's so unfair," she protested.

"He was pretty fair with you last night," commented Sam. Charleigh gave up trying to get sympathy from Sam and finished her breakfast. She then grabbed her notebook and got back to work. She spent the next hour writing and only finished half of the first set. She got up from the table and wandered into the living room to find Sam on his laptop. "Are you finished?" he asked, looking up from the laptop.

"Not even close," she mumbled as she tumbled onto the couch.

"Then I suggest you get back to work," stated Sam calmly, but sternly. Charleigh sighed and headed back to the kitchen. She continued working for the next two hours and finally finished. She carried the notebook out to Sam so he could check. "Good," said Sam as he set the notebook aside. "Do you know how bad smoking is for you?" asked Sam as Charleigh sat down on the couch.

"Yeah," replied Charleigh. "I didn't do it all the time."

"Well, it needs to stop completely," said Sam firmly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh.

Meanwhile, Dean had arrived in Mountain Top, PA and was waiting for Bobby at a diner a few miles from their destination. Bobby finally arrived a few hours later and they headed to where the coordinates took them. They found an old factory building that looked abandoned. It sat in a valley, with mountains surrounding it. They parked out of sight and walked to the building. There were no signs of demons outside the building, so they entered through a back door. The inside looked abandoned as well until they came upon a room in the basement with empty cells lining the walls. The cells were empty as well, but there were cups and plates, some still with food on them, that looked fairly new. Dean noticed hooks hanging from the ceiling, some with dried up blood on them. "Oh my God," sighed Dean. "This must be where they kept them." His thoughts wandered back to Charleigh and he couldn't bear the thought of her being held someplace like this. He thought of the other poor children and knew they had to find them soon.

"We won't let this happen to her," said Bobby reassuringly as he put his arm around Dean's shoulders. "Let's look around and see if we can find anything on where they are now." Dean agreed and they searched the entire factory, but didn't find a thing. They headed back to the diner, had lunch, and parted their separate ways. Bobby was going to go back home and see if any other demons came lurking around. Dean drove back toward the cabin in complete disgust and his concern for Charleigh's safety had grown even more. He knew how evil demons could be, but he couldn't believe that even demons would capture and torture children. They had to locate Saul sooner than later and destroy him.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Sam peered into Charleigh's room to find she was reading on her Kindle, so he decided it was a good time to contact Dean. He headed to the kitchen so Charleigh wouldn't be able to hear their conversation. "Hey Sammy," said Dean as he picked up his phone.

"Dean, what's going on? You said you would call and you haven't," questioned Sam with annoyance. Sam could hear billard balls clinking in the background. "Dean, are you at a bar?" he asked, with a frustrated tone to his voice.

"Yes, I am," replied Dean, with a slight slur to his speech. "And after what I saw today, this is exactly where I need to be," he stated.

"Dean," sighed Sam. "What happened?"

"There is a beautiful blonde giving me the eye right now," he replied. "Don't expect me home tonight if you know what I mean." Before Sam could respond, Dean hung up.

"Jackass," mumbled Sam under his breath.

"What's wrong?" questioned Charleigh from behind Sam. Sam spun around to see Charleigh leaning up against the wall. "Why is Dean at a bar?" she frowned.

"Dean's fine," sighed Sam. "And you shouldn't be eavesdropping on other people's conversations," he stated firmly.

"I didn't mean to. I was just coming out to grab a drink," she replied.

"Don't do it again," he replied.

"Ok, but why is Dean at a bar?" she asked again worriedly.

"He just stopped for a bite to eat," replied Sam. "He's going to stay the night and he'll be home tomorrow."

"My Mom was always at a bar, but not to eat," she replied sadly.

"I'm sorry Charleigh," he said as he took her hand and sat her on his lap. "Dean likes to have a few drinks every now and then. Don't worry about him. Besides, it's my job to worry, not yours." Charleigh quietly looked down into her lap. "Let's go for a walk," suggested Sam. "I saw an ice cream parlor not too far up the road."

"Ok," replied Charleigh. After they had ice cream, they stopped at a little convenience store and rented a Disney movie from the Redbox. While Sam paid for the movie, Charleigh wandered around the store. She spotted small, pocket sized, bottles of different kinds of liquor. She stared at them thoughtfully. If her Mom and Dean could drink whenever they wanted, then why couldn't she? She contemplated taking a few when Sam appeared behind her.

"Ready?" he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Charleigh jumped and spun around to face him.

"Yeah," she replied. They went back to the cabin and put the movie in to watch. A few minutes into the movie, Charleigh glanced over to find Sam sound asleep. She approached him quietly and took his phone from his hand. She headed into her bedroom and redialed Dean's number.

"What now Sam?" boomed Dean's voice angrily. "I'm a little busy."

"It's Charleigh," she replied.

"What the hell Charleigh?" demanded Dean. "Does Sam know your calling?" Tears came to her eyes. She thought Dean would be happy to hear from her, but instead he sounded angry and annoyed.

"No," she mumbled. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"It's not a good time Charleigh," he snapped.

"Screw you Dean!" she yelled angrily as she snapped the phone closed and tossed it on the bed. This was the first time Dean had ever made her feel like an annoyance, just like her Mother had done to her repeatedly over the years. She grabbed her hoodie from her bed and made a dash toward the front door. She opened it and slammed it behind her, running out into the darkness. Sam awoke instantly from the commotion of the door slamming and took off after her. Charleigh ran as fast as she could up the beach. Sam caught up to her within a few minutes and grabbed her shoulder from behind. Charleigh lost her balance and tumbled into the sand. Sam reached down and picked her up and stood her on her feet.

"What is going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she snapped as she crossed her arm across her chest. Sam took her hand and led her back to the cabin. Charleigh went with him willingly. Once they got inside, Sam placed a chair facing the corner of the living room.

"Sit down and get yourself under control," he ordered sternly, but patiently. Charleigh looked at him defiantly. "Now!" his voice boomed. Charleigh flinched and quickly scooted into the chair. Once Charleigh sat down, Sam could hear his phone ringing. He searched the living room and finally found it in Charleigh's bedroom. He noticed it was Dean calling and picked it up.

"Dean?" questioned Sam.

"Charleigh called me from your phone," huffed Dean. "I think I may have upset her. Is she all right?"

"Yeah," replied Sam with frustration. "She's here with me. I'll see you tomorrow Dean." Sam hung up the phone, angry with Dean, and headed back out to Charleigh. She was sitting with her feet on the chair and her face was buried in her knees. He took her chair and spun it around to face him and then crouched down on the floor in front of her. Charleigh shifted her position and placed her feet on the floor in front of her. "You called Dean?" he questioned.

"Yes," she replied with her hands still covering her face. Sam reached up and moved her hands away from her face gently. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to hear his voice to make sure he was ok," she pouted. "And he was so mean to me. He spoke to me just like my Mom used to." Tears fell down her cheeks.

"Come here," said Sam gently as he took her hand and led her over to the couch and sat her next to him. "First of all Charleigh, Dean loves you and so did your Mom. Sometimes people say or do things they don't mean because they have other things on their minds. I know Dean didn't mean to make you feel that way on purpose. He can be a jerk sometimes, but he cares a lot about you." Charleigh leaned in and wrapped her arms around Sam and rested her head on his side. Sam placed his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Can we watch the rest of the movie?" she asked.

"Not so fast," replied Sam. "We have more to talk about."

"About what?" asked Charleigh.

"You ran off Charleigh," he stated sternly, but calmly.

"Oh yeah," she agreed.

"Next time you come to me or Dean first," he said firmly. "You can talk to us about anything."

"Ok Sam," she replied. They decided to finish the movie and they both fell asleep, Charleigh on the couch and Sam in the recliner. Sam awoke to a noise outside the cabin later on that night. He looked out the window and thought he saw someone standing outside by the tree on the front lawn. He looked down at Charleigh sleeping and contemplated what to do. He slowly shook her to wake up.

"I want you to go downstairs and don't come out until I come and get you," Sam said to her as she opened her eyes.

"Sam, what's wrong?" asked Charleigh worriedly.

"Probably nothing, go ahead, please Charleigh," he replied. Charleigh hugged him quickly and then hurried toward the basement stairs. She found a closet to hide in and barricaded herself in between large gallon sized jugs of water. Meanwhile, Sam grabbed a shotgun and Ruby's knife and went out the kitchen door, locking it behind him. He walked slowly toward the figure by the tree. "What are you doing here?" he questioned as he raised his gun.

"Holy shit," replied a man's voice as he stepped into the light of the moon. "I thought this place was vacant. I was just walking home. My buddy had a party and I drank too much to drive." Sam looked the man over and he appeared pretty harmless. Meanwhile, Charleigh couldn't wait any longer. She was worried sick about Sam and rushed upstairs to see what was happening. She peered outside and could see the shadow of Sam holding a gun toward someone. She stepped outside and crept up behind Sam. Sam heard the crunching of leaves behind him and spun around with the shotgun. He lowered the gun angrily when he saw Charleigh. "Dammit Charleigh!" he yelled. "Get inside!" Charleigh turned and ran back to the house without hesitation. Sam spoke with the man for a few more moments and decided he wasn't a threat and headed back inside. He found Charleigh in her bedroom, buried under her covers. He approached her in the bed and pulled the covers down from her face. "We will discuss this in the morning," he stated calmly even though he was ready to explode with anger.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Dean woke up the next morning to his phone ringing. He opened his eyes to find himself next to a woman whom he didn't remember much about and in what appeared to be her bedroom. He looked down at his phone to find it was Bobby. "Bobby," he grumbled as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "What's going on?"

"I talked to Dan this morning," replied Bobby. "I am headed to meet him in a small town in Kentucky where there has been a lot of suspected demon activity," he explained. "He thought maybe while working the case we could also shake some demons to see if they have any information on Saul."

"Hi handsome," said the woman Dean spent the night with as she sat up in the bed.

"Dean, where are you?" asked Bobby.

"I made a little pit stop," grumbled Dean.

"What the hell Dean?" groaned Bobby.

"A man has needs," he replied. "I'll meet you guys in Kentucky. What are the coordinates?"

"No," replied Bobby. "You sit this one out and head back to Sam and Charleigh. I'll call you if I find anything." Dean was too hung over to argue.

"Sure Bobby," he replied as he stepped out of the bed. "Thanks."

"Talk to you later Dean," replied Bobby as he hung up.

"Hey handsome, I have a few hours before I need to go to work," said the blonde woman from behind Dean.

"Thanks sweetheart," he replied, forgetting what her name was. "But I have to head out." Dean grabbed his pants and shirt from the floor and threw then on. He hurried from the woman's home only to find his car wasn't there. Remembering the name of the bar, he contacted a cab company to come and pick him up. Once he made it back to the bar, he was happy to see his "baby" waiting in the parking lot. He was soon on his way back to the cabin.

Meanwhile, by the time Charleigh woke up it was already 10am. She trudged out of bed and looked around the cabin, but she couldn't find Sam. She crept downstairs to take a look, but he wasn't there either. She headed back to her bedroom and threw on her sweatpants and sweatshirt. As she headed out of her bedroom, Sam was headed in the front door. "Good morning kiddo," he said. "I was having my coffee on the porch," he mentioned.

"Hi Sam," she responded quietly, remembering the occurrences of the night before.

"Put some sneakers on, we're going to go for a run," he stated. Charleigh didn't think he sounded mad and thought maybe he forgot about what had happened.

"I've never been for a run," she replied, thinking it was strange that he wanted to take her.

"Well, it's time you start," he stated. "You need to be prepared in case anything happens and you need to defend yourself. I'm going to talk to Dean about training you to fight."

"Ok," she replied as she headed back into her bedroom and picked up her sneakers up from the floor. She carried them back out to the living room and sat down on the couch to put them on. Once she was ready, they headed to a nearby nature trail and Sam started jogging ahead of her. Charleigh ran behind him at her fastest pace in order to keep up. Charleigh felt like they had run forever and finally broke into a slow trot, then a walk. Sam could hear her pace decrease and slowed down to a walk. He glanced down at his watch and was impressed that she remained running for a good twenty minutes. Charleigh jogged slightly to catch up so she was able to walk side by side with him.

"Good job," he commented as he glanced down at her. Charleigh grinned as she gasped to catch her breath. They walked for about five minutes and were back at the cabin. Sam proceeded to show Charleigh how to do sit ups and pushups, and then they headed into the cabin for breakfast. Charleigh's conscience was getting the best of her and she couldn't tell whether Sam was upset or not. She could tell he wasn't acting himself, but he didn't seem angry to her.

"Sam?" said Charleigh as she finished her oatmeal. Sam looked up from the newspaper he was skimming through. "I'm really sorry about not listening to you last night," she stated apologetically. Sam placed down his paper and folded his hands on the table. He was waiting for Charleigh to accept responsibility for her actions without being prompted to do so and he was relieved that she finally did without getting into a shouting match first.

"I know," he replied, but then his face and expression turned stern and hard. "But Charleigh, you disobeyed a direct order and I could've easily shot you. Not to mention that it could've been a demon lurking in the yard last night." Sam sighed and stood up from the table. "I think you know what needs to happen now," he stated firmly as he looked down at her. Charleigh was shocked. She couldn't believe that Sam would punish her.

"Sam please," she pleaded. "You can't punish me," she said as tears came to her eyes. "I think it would break my heart," she sobbed. Charleigh's pleas made Sam question his choice to punish her. It wasn't the role that he wanted to have with her, but he also knew that Charleigh needed to learn to respect him as well.

"In your bedroom," he ordered.

"Sam, if you do this, I will NEVER talk to you again!" she cried, raising her voice in anger.

"Now Charleigh," he ordered again. Charleigh didn't budge and Sam hated that she was testing him like this. She was just making it worse for both of them. "This can be done the easy way or the hard way, but either way, it's getting done," he stated sternly. Charleigh hesitated but finally stood up from the table and followed him into her bedroom. She fought the urge to run and hide. Sam took a seat on her bed and called her over to him. Sam hesitated as Charleigh appeared in front of him. It was the first time he had to punish a child and he was surprised at how difficult it was even though he knew she deserved it.

"You're so mean," she sobbed. Sam wasted no more time and lifted her up and placed her over his lap. Charleigh reached out and grabbed her pillow and buried her face in it. Sam began to spank her and Charleigh was surpised at how much his huge hands hurt when they landed. After the first 10 spanks, Charleigh began sobbing into her pillow. Sam paused for a moment and then she could hear her bedroom door creaking open.

"Sammy, are you here?" she heard Dean's voice question. Dean pushed the door all the way open to find Charleigh over Sam's lap and knew she must've done something pretty bad. "Whoops, I can see you are busy," Dean stated as he left and closed the door behind him. Sam finished up with another 10 spanks and then set Charleigh on her feet in front of him. His heart ached as she stood before him sobbing. Even though the spanking hurt, Charleigh was crying mostly because she felt like she had lost her best friend.

"The rules are meant to keep you safe," he began sternly, but Charleigh cut him off.

"I know Sam," she sobbed as she turned her back on him. "Just please leave me alone." Sam turned her back around to face him.

"You need to follow the rules," he said firmly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," huffed Charleigh. "I want to be alone now." Sam nodded his head and stood up and left her room, closing the door behind him. He headed out to the living room to where Dean was waiting.

"You ok Sammy?" asked Dean, knowing how hard it was for his brother.

"Yeah," replied Sam as he headed into the kitchen to grab a beer and headed back out to Dean. "She had it coming, she was testing me all day yesterday." Dean nodded. "So what happened in Pennsylvania?" he asked. Dean sighed and told Sam about his trip. Sam was disgusted by what Dean and Bobby had found. It just emphasized how important it was for Charleigh to follow the rules so they could keep her safe. As they sat there in silence for a few moments, Castiel appeared in the room with them.

"I have news," stated Cas without even saying hello.

"Well hello to you too," said Dean sarcastically.

"It's happening. An angel was murdered yesterday by a Dark Lighter," he stated. "The Dark Lighter was a child of sixteen." They both sat up and listened intently to Castiel. "This was the first successful transition for Saul. The angels are scared. We need to find this demon soon and destroy him."

"We are working on it," replied Dean worriedly. "This Saul is bad news. I saw where he kept the White Lighters and I can't believe even a demon is capable of such evil against children." Dean swallowed hard and stood up from his chair. He paced the room anxiously and turned toward Castiel. "What else are the angels saying?" he asked curiously.

"They are talking about taking the young White Lighters themselves before Saul finds them and keeping them locked up," replied Castiel.

"Castiel, these are children with families!" shouted Sam as he stood up.

"You can't let that happen Cas," said Dean sternly. "That would make the angels just as bad as the demons."

"I know Dean, Sam," he replied. "I will do what I can to persuade them, but I cannot promise anything. I can promise that I will not let them take Charleigh." Before Dean and Sam could respond, Castiel disappeared.

"Dammit!" huffed Dean. "This is getting out of control too quickly."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Charleigh heard a knock on her door about an hour later. She buried herself under her covers even more than she was and closed her eyes to pretend she was sleeping. "Charleigh?" questioned Dean's voice. Her first reaction was to jump up and give him a hug, but then she remembered that she was angry with him too, so she remained quiet under the covers. "Charleigh?" he said again as he gave her a gentle shake. Charleigh opened her eyes and rolled over on her back to find Dean peering down at her. "Hey brat," he smiled.

"Hi Dean," she said rolling her eyes. Dean sat down on the bed beside her.

"Can you sit up?" he asked. "There's something I'd like to talk to you about." Charleigh pulled herself into a sitting position and cringed from the pain on her backside. "Sam told me you were upset with me," he mentioned. "And I want you to know that I didn't mean to make you feel like an annoyance. You just caught me at a bad time," he explained. "I'm sorry," he said as he pat her head. "Do you forgive me?"

"I guess," she replied.

"Good," he grinned. Dean decided not to address Charleigh's behavior while he was gone since Sam had already taken care of it. "There's a bowling alley not too far from here and we thought we could go and give it a try. What do you say?"

"Ok," she replied. Charleigh followed Dean out of her bedroom and into the living room where Sam was waiting. She quickly glanced at Sam and lowered her eyes to the floor. She followed them out to the Impala and hopped into the backseat. They arrived at the bowling alley and Charleigh didn't know what to expect since she had never been bowling. She picked out the lightest bowling ball she could find and placed it at their lane. She watched as Sam and Dean took their turns and then she gave it a try. She decided that she liked bowling and did pretty well for her first time. She managed to avoid Sam for the entire game.

"Good job for your first time," commented Sam to Charleigh when the game was over. Charleigh shrugged her shoulders and walked away from him.

"I have to go to the bathroom," she said to Dean, who was taking his bowling shoes off.

"Can I trust you to go alone?" asked Dean.

"Yes," replied Charleigh.

"Go ahead," he replied. Charleigh headed into the bathroom and was quickly blinded by the brightness of the lights inside. The light was so bright that Charleigh fell against the wall onto the floor. As she looked over toward the bathroom stalls, they transformed into jail cells before her eyes. She closed her eyes and opened them again, hoping it was just a bad dream. She noticed children inside the cells and as she looked to each cell, she couldn't believe her eyes. She saw herself in the last cell on the wall and she could barely recognize herself. Her clothes were tattered and torn and her hair was knotty and oily. Dirt was covering her hands and face and she sat there looking emotionless, like she was in a trance.

"Honey, are you all right?" she heard a voice ask, but she couldn't respond. She was still stuck in the bright light and it wouldn't let her out. The woman hurried out of the bathroom asking everyone if they were with a young, brown haired girl. Once she arrived to Sam and Dean, they quickly hurried to the bathroom and didn't think twice about bursting inside.

"Charleigh!" boomed Dean's voice as he stood before her. Charleigh could see Dean's outline in the light, but she couldn't respond. She felt like she was stuck between two worlds. Dean worriedly reached down and scooped her up from the floor. He carried her quickly from the bathroom with Sam following close behind. As they brought her out to the car, Charleigh slowly came back to reality. Dean carefully placed her in the backseat of the car and slid in beside her. "Sammy, can you drive?" he asked as he tossed his keys to him. Sam caught the keys and hopped into the front seat. Dean turned to find Charleigh's body shaking frantically and tears falling from her eyes. He quickly pulled her onto his lap and held her tightly. ""It's ok," he said reassuringly. "You're safe." Dean repeated himself a few times as he rubbed her back. They arrived back at the cabin and Dean carried her into her room and placed her on her bed. She had finally stopped shaking and was beginning to calm down.

"Charleigh, what happened?" asked Sam as he sat down on the bed next to her. Charleigh glared at Sam and turned her back to him and faced the other direction of the room. Dean looked to Sam and Sam just shrugged his shoulders. Sam stood up from the bed and approached Dean. "I guess she's still angry with me," he stated. "Maybe you should talk to her." Dean was annoyed at the way Charleigh was treating Sam, but decided he would address that later. Dean took a seat next to her and turned her so she was facing him.

"What happened?" asked Dean gently.

Charleigh took a deep breath and looked to Dean worriedly. "I saw a blinding light," she began. "And then I saw jail cells and inside the cells there were children." She paused and fought back the tears. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean exchanged concerned glances. "And that's not it," she continued. "I was one of the children in the cells and I looked awful, like I didn't care of living anymore." More tears began to fall from her eyes. "What does it mean?" she questioned anxiously. "I was wide awake so I know I wasn't dreaming," she stated worriedly.

"It's ok," reassured Dean. "It might be the demons playing tricks on you." Dean grabbed her hands. "Don't worry, they can't find you and we won't let anything happen to you. We promise. You're safe here Charleigh." Charleigh sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. She wanted to trust Dean, but she didn't know how to make sense out of any of it. Sam and Dean's fears grew, but they didn't want to frighten Charleigh. They wanted to keep everything from her for as long as possible. Sam wandered out of the room to do some research on the type of vision that Charleigh had. Dean sat with her until she seemed to have calmed down. "So what's going on with you and Sam?" he finally asked.

"Nothing," she sighed.

"Oh come on Charleigh," he said firmly. "I can see what's going on."

"Ugh. I told him if he spanked me that I would never to speak to him again," she admitted. "He's so mean and I'm so angry with him," she pouted.

"Oh, I see," replied Dean.

"He's not my friend anymore," she stated sadly.

"Well," sighed Dean. "Sam did what he needed to do. And although you consider him your friend, he is also an adult and he is responsible for you and your safety. You put yourself in danger Charleigh and that can't happen anymore. He loves you and he wants to make sure you stay safe." Tears came to Charleigh's eyes. She didn't want to be angry with Sam, but she couldn't help feeling betrayed. "I'm not going to let this behavior toward him continue," stated Dean sternly. "So I suggest you stop feeling sorry for yourself and go and talk to him." Charleigh could tell by the sternness of Dean's voice that he wasn't going to waver.

"Ok Dean," she replied quietly. Charleigh slid off of her bed and headed into the kitchen where Sam was working on his laptop. "Hi Sam," she said quietly. Sam looked at at Charleigh and closed his laptop. "I….um…..I just wanted to say that I am sorry for my behavior and for ignoring you." Sam took her hand and pulled her onto his lap. "You've always been so patient and kind with me, I just never expected that you would spank me."

"I know," he replied gently. "And I hope I don't have to do it again," he said as he gave her a hug. "I love you kiddo."

"I love you too Sam," she smiled as she hugged him back.

After Charleigh went to bed that evening, Sam and Dean discussed what had happened to Charleigh and thought maybe she was having psychic visions of what was to come. Although, they hoped that wasn't the case. They were terrified for her safety.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

Charleigh woke up in the middle of the night and started thinking of the incident at the bowling alley. She couldn't go back to sleep so she headed out in the living room to find Sam passed out in the recliner with the laptop still open in his lap. She gently shut it for him and put it on the coffee table without disturbing him. She peeked into Dean's room to find him sound asleep in his bed. Sam's bed was empty so she climbed in and covered up with the comforter. She laid awake for what seemed like forever and finally she could see the sun rising outside the bedroom window. She pushed back the curtain lightly and looked outside to find the wind blowing the leaves around violently. "Charleigh?" questioned Dean's voice from behind her. Charleigh turned away from the window to find Dean sitting up in his bed. "Everything ok?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah," she yawned. "I couldn't sleep so I came in here last night. I couldn't stop thinking about what I saw in the bathroom."

"You should have woken me up," replied Dean, feeling bad that she couldn't sleep.

"I was ok," she replied. "I just laid in here for a while." Dean got out of his bed and went and sat in Sam's with her.

"Charleigh, do you remember anything else about what you saw?" asked Dean. "Maybe there were windows? Maybe you could see something outside the window? Were there any other people walking around? Pictures? Paintings? Anything that may seem unimportant to you, may help us figure out why it happened." Charleigh thought back to her vision and replayed it the best she could in her head.

"There were windows," she stated. "And it looked like trees outside the windows. I think they were pine trees and it looked like they had snow on them. Some of the kids inside were shaking, like maybe they were cold. The floor was gray and bumpy, not a normal floor and the walls were bumpy too and uneven. I saw the back of a woman standing in front of the cell I was in. Her hair was long and black and she was wearing what looked like black jeans and a blue sweater." Charleigh paused and sighed. "That's all I can remember," she replied sadly, feeling tears come to her eyes again.

"You did a good job," said Dean as he gave her a hug. "Come on, let's wake Sam and go for a run. Sam and I think it would be a good idea to have you start training so you are able to defend yourself if you ever need to." Charleigh rolled her eyes at the thought of going to another run. Her legs were still hurting from the run the day before. She headed into her room and put on the same sweatshirt and sweatpants that she wore the previous day. She really needed more clothes, but didn't want to bother Sam and Dean with it since they had so much on their minds. As she headed out of her room, she heard Sam and Dean talking quietly together. She stopped in her doorway of the living room to see if she could hear anything they were saying.

"We need to research everywhere it has snowed in the last few days," stated Dean quietly. "It's only October, so I can't imagine it would be too many places. I'm assuming in the mountains somewhere."

"It sounds like maybe the cells were inside a mountain," stated Sam quietly. Charleigh was confused as she listened. She didn't think what she saw was real, but from the way Sam and Dean were talking, it sounded as if they thought it was real. She suddenly became overwhelmed with fear. She thought about the fact that she had seen herself in one of the cells. She stumbled into the kitchen right into their conversation. Sam and Dean looked down at her face and knew right away that something had happened.

"Did you have another vision?" asked Sam as he crouched down to her level and put his hands on her shoulders.

"No, I'm fine, I just felt sick to my stomach for a minute," she replied, not wanting them to know she was eavesdropping on their conversation. Sam looked at her curiously for a minute, sensing that something else was up, but then stood up.

"Are you feeling all right now?" asked Dean.

"Yeah," she replied. Dean gave Sam a quick look and shrugged his shoulders. They headed out in the brisk, windy Fall weather and walked to the nature trail where they started their morning run. Charleigh fought hard to keep up, but she was exhausted from a lack of sleep and from her run yesterday. She quickly broke into a walk after only 5 minutes of running. Sam ran ahead while Dean slowed down to walk with Charleigh. "I'm sorry," she gasped. "I'm just so tired today."

"That's ok," replied Dean as he put his hand on her hand and ruffled her hair. Dean headed back to the cabin with Charleigh while Sam continued with his run. She noticed a few kids outside playing on the dirt road beside their cabin. She thought they looked about her age and really wanted to play with them. She stopped to watch. "Go ahead," urged Dean. "I'm just going to grab the laptop and I'll sit on the porch." Charleigh smiled and ran toward the kids. They gathered around her right away and introduced themselves and asked her to join them in a game of kickball. Charleigh happily agreed and joined one of the teams. Meanwhile, Dean grabbed a chair from the kitchen and carried it out to the porch with his laptop. He looked up at Charleigh playing and smiled. He wished she could have a normal childhood, but knew that would never be a possibility for her and it made him feel sad for her. He looked back down at his laptop and began researching places that had received snowfall within the last few days.

"Excuse me?" said a woman's voice, interrupting him. Dean looked up to find a beautiful woman with long, brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hi," he said as he stood up from his chair and extended his hand. "I'm Dean."

"Hi Dean, I'm Katie," she smiled. "Is that your daughter playing out there?"

"She's my sister. Why? Did she do something wrong?" he replied worriedly.

"Oh no," she smiled. "I just wanted to invite her to my daughter's Halloween party tonight." Dean was about to respond with a no, but then thought how much Charleigh would enjoy it.

"Ummmm, ok, sure," he replied. "But she doesn't have a costume."

"That's not a problem," she replied kindly. "If she wants one, we have lots of extra dress up clothes." Just then Sam appeared.

"Katie, this is my brother Sam," introduced Dean.

"Hi Sam," she said as she extended her hand to shake his.

"Hi," said Sam shaking her hand.

"Well, I have to get home and clean. See you tonight," she said as she started to walk away. "Oh, and we are #25."

"What was that all about?" asked Sam curiously.

"Oh, she invited Charleigh to a Halloween party tonight," replied Dean. "I was going to refuse, but then I thought about how much Charleigh would enjoy being around the other children." Sam nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, I am going to shower and then maybe we should take her to pick out a Halloween costume," suggested Sam. "Plus, I think she also needs some more clothes." That afternoon they went shopping and Charleigh picked out a witch costume, along with some more sweatpants and t-shirts. They headed back home and ate dinner and then Dean walked her down to the party while Sam decided to stay at the cabin and do more research. Dean tried to mingle with the other parents while Charleigh enjoyed some games with the other children. However, he realized quickly that he didn't have much in common with married couples with children. He headed into the kitchen to find Katie putting more snacks into the bowls.

"Need some help?" he asked.

"That would be nice," she replied as she handed him a carton of vanilla ice cream, root beer, and plastic cups. "We need 15 root beer floats," she smiled. "Thank you." Thankful to be away from the other parents, Dean happily began to scoop ice cream. Meanwhile, Charleigh was tired from dancing and sat down on the couch to catch her breath. She looked up at the disco light that hung from the ceiling. Then suddenly, she felt herself being sucked into the light again. She fought to make it stop but she couldn't break free. It was suddenly night time and she could see Dean's car pull up in front of a door that looked like it led into a mountain. She watched as Dean and Sam stepped out of the car. Then suddenly, they were surrounded by people or so she thought. The next thing she knew they were flung against the outside wall and held there. She could see blood trickling from Dean's head and from Sam's mouth.

"No!" she screamed. "Stop!" Dean heard Charleigh's screams and ran as fast as he could to the room where she was. "Don't hurt them!" she cried again.

"Charleigh!" boomed Dean's voice. "Turn the light off!" he yelled as he turned to one of the children. Frightened, the child ran to the light switch on the wall and flicked it off. "Charleigh," said Dean again gently. Charleigh's gaze on the light broke and she looked toward Dean. Meanwhile, everyone had gathered around them to see what was going on. "Come on," he said as he took her hand and helped her up from the couch. "We should go."

"Everything ok?" asked Katie as she broke through the crowd.

"Yeah, thank you for having us, but we're going to go now," said Dean as he led Charleigh through the crowd and out the front door. Dean hurried her back to their cabin and inside to where Sam was typing away on his laptop. He led her to the couch and had her sit down while he sat next to her. Sam's attention soon focused on them and he closed his laptop. "What did you see?" asked Dean. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she looked from Sam to Dean.

"I saw both of you," she replied sadly. "And they were going to kill you." Sam got up from the recliner and went and sat on the other of her. Anger soon consumed her and she jumped up from the couch and started ripping off her witch costume. "What aren't you telling me?" she demanded as she spun around angrily and glared at them. "I heard you talking earlier and I know you think these visions are real. So please, tell me what the hell is going on?!" Before they had a chance to reply, she took off running toward her bedroom. Her first reaction was to start slamming things, so she picked up the lamp on her dresser and started marching toward her window when she felt two strong arms grab her from behind. She fought to break free and kicked her legs out in front of her, lifting herself off of the ground.

"That's enough!" yelled Dean as he appeared in front of her. Charleigh continued kicking and connected with Dean a few times before he was able to catch her legs and hold them in place while Sam still held her from behind. "You need to stop right now," ordered Dean. Charleigh glared back at him. "We will tell you everything once you get yourself under control," he stated sternly. Sam backed up and sat down on the bed with Charleigh still on his lap and his grip still firm around her back and arms. He held her tightly and silently for a long time until she finally had control of her emotions.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**If you like what you are reading, please review! I would also love to hear any ideas you may have for Charleigh. Thank you so much to those who have already left reviews, you keep me motivated to write more! Thank you!**_

"Can I let you go now?" asked Sam gently from behind Charleigh.

"Yeah," she replied although she was still angry. Sam released Charleigh and she slid off of his lap and stood against the wall on the other side of the room with her arms crossed.

"I suggest you lose the attitude," said Dean sternly. Charleigh crossed her arms even tighter and huffed in anger. "You listen to me young lady," he ground out angrily as he pointed his finger in her direction. "You have no right to be angry with us. We are the adults here and we decide if and when you need to know something." Charleigh continued to glare at both of them. "Not to mention that you were eavesdropping on a personal conversation," stated Dean sternly.

"Which she was warned not to do," interjected Sam. Charleigh glared over at Sam.

"Oh, so you knew better?" questioned Dean angrily.

"The conversation was about me Dean!" she snapped back.

"Watch it," warned Dean.

"And there was a reason you weren't involved in it," replied Sam.

"Ugh!" huffed Charleigh as she kicked the wall behind her. "This is so unfair! I don't understand why you are angry with me! I'm the one who has demons hunting me! And you are the ones who lied to me!" Sam stood up from the bed and approached her. He took her arm and led her over to the corner and turned her to face it.

"I think you need some more time to calm down," he suggested sternly.

"I'm fine!" she snapped as she took a step back, but was stopped by Sam.

"Don't even think about it young lady," warned Dean.

"Or what?" she questioned angrily as she spun around to face him. Dean's patience was wearing thin, but he didn't want to have to punish her while everyone's emotions were still on edge. However, he couldn't believe how oppositional she was being, even for her.

"Do you really want to find out?" he asked sternly as he approached her.

"Geez, you are both such hypocrites," she sighed angrily.

"Excuse me Sammy," said Dean angrily as he reached around him and pulled Charleigh in front of him. "I'm going to tell you one last time to stand in the corner and keep your mouth shut. We will discuss it later when everyone has had a chance to calm down," he said sternly as he glared down at her. Charleigh's lower lip trembled as she looked up at him, but she just couldn't keep her mouth shut, especially when she knew she was right.

"Jackass," she snapped as she glared at him defiantly. She regretted it the moment it left her lips, but she just couldn't help herself. Dean instantly picked her up and carried her over to the bed. "Let me go!" she cried. He sat down and put her across his lap while Sam exited the room. He quickly began to spank her. He wanted to get the point across that she needed to do what she was told. Charleigh kicked and cried out more than usual, mostly because she was still angry and didn't understand why they were angry with her. Dean landed about 20 hard smacks to her bottom and then stood her in front of him. Charleigh reached back and rubbed her bottom as tears fell from her eyes.

"Put yourself in that corner right now or we will go for another round," Dean ordered sternly. Without saying a word, she turned and headed to the corner. She rested her head against the wall and quietly sobbed. Dean left her room and went out to find Sam. "What the hell was that all about?" he questioned when he found Sam in the kitchen holding a beer out for him.

"I don't know," sighed Sam. "That was rough, even for her." Sam took a long a swig of his beer and shook his head. "I think she's probably just scared and needs some reassurance that she's safe."

"Well that sure wasn't the way to go about it," commented Dean as he cracked open his beer.

"It is Charleigh we are talking about," grinned Sam.

"Yeah," agreed Dean. "We need to spend the night researching so we can find this demon and end it once and for all," he said as he sat down at the table. They gave Charleigh about a half hour in the corner and decided she was sane enough to talk to them. They both sat down on the bed and had her turn from the corner to face them. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear stained when she turned to face them. They both wanted to give her a reassuring hug, but they wanted to get through a discussion with her first. "Charleigh," began Dean. "Sam and I decided that we weren't going to tell you what was going on because we didn't want to scare you anymore than you were. That was our choice and we need you to respect that."

"There's a demon named Saul who is capturing all of the young White Lighters before they gain their powers," explained Sam. "He is keeping them locked away and trying to influence them to turn to evil. Once they turn to evil and have developed their powers, they will be Dark Lighters and Saul will use them to destroy angels. He's already had once successful transition." Charleigh quietly continued to listen. She didn't have the energy to argue or fight anymore.

"The visions you are having could be real," continued Dean. "We're not sure why you are getting them, but we're hoping they will help us to locate Saul and the White Lighters that he has captured." Dean stood up from the bed and approached her and then embraced her in a hug. Charleigh wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his stomach. "Now you see why it's important for you to listen to us," he said gently. "We're going to win this fight with Saul, I promise." Dean released Charleigh and peered down at her. "Now, as punishment for eavesdropping, I want you to write – 'I will not eavesdrop' – 200 times. You can do it tomorrow," he said sternly, but calmly.

"Ugh," sighed Charleigh.

"Sorry kiddo," he said as he ruffled her hair. Sam then approached her and gave her a hug as well.

"Is there anything you can remember from the today's vision?" asked Sam as he released her and looked down at her.

"I saw the outside," she replied. "It was a big metal door that looked like it had one of those locks that a bank safe has on it and there were two windows with bars covering them." Charleigh paused and thought back to her vision. "It looked to be in the side of a mountain," she said unsurely.

"Good job," replied Sam. "That helps a lot." Sam headed out of the room and grabbed his laptop to start researching right away. Meanwhile, Charleigh took a shower and got ready for bed. After she was showered and dressed she headed out to the living to find Sam in the recliner with his laptop and Dean on the couch with his laptop. She sat next to Dean on the couch.

"Dean, I was thinking, maybe what we are looking for is an old coal mine," stated Sam.

"That makes perfect sense," replied Dean. "That would explain the appearance of the floor and walls." Dean turned toward Charleigh sitting next to him. "Ready for bed kiddo?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"We'll be in soon to tuck you in," said Dean.

"Ok," replied Charleigh as she headed into her bedroom and climbed under the covers. Sam and Dean came in and kissed her goodnight a few minutes later. Charleigh closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly. She awoke in the middle of the night to a noise coming from the living room. She headed out into the living room to find Dean and Sam no longer there. She then heard a knock on the window. Her heart instantly began to race and a feeling of coldness overcame her body. Charleigh began to shake with fear. Meanwhile, Dean's phone rang, waking him up from a sound sleep.

"Hello," he grumbled, not recognizing the number.

"Dean, it's Cole," gasped Cole on the other end. "My father was possessed and now they know where you guys are. Dean, you need to leave now. They are on their way!" Dean slammed his phone closed and jumped out of bed. As he jumped out of bed, he heard Charleigh scream from the other room. He ran from his room quickly and searched the upstairs frantically for Charleigh as a groggy Sam tried to make sense of what was going on.

"She's gone," sighed a devasted Dean as he collapsed onto the couch.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Just a quick update! Enjoy! I'll write more later!**_

"Dean, that doesn't make sense," commented Sam worriedly. "We demon proofed the entire house. There's no way a demon got in here."

"I'm right here," whispered a voice. Both Dean and Sam turn abruptly to find Charleigh opening the door from the basement stairs.

"Oh, thank god," sighed Dean as he approached Charleigh and put his arms around her. "We thought they took you."

"I saw two men outside the window," she said, still shaking. "They came really close to the window and their eyes turned black." Dean looked to Sam concerningly.

"Ok sweetheart," said Dean calmly as he crouched down to her level. "I want you to go down to the basement and stay there until we come and get you. We're going to take a look outside."

"And Charleigh," interjected Sam. "You need to stay put no matter what," he stated firmly. "They can't get into the house, you are safe here." Charleigh nodded her head.

"This is important kiddo," said Dean.

"I know, I understand," she replied sadly as she gave Dean a quick hug and turned and ran back down the stairs. Suddenly, Castiel appeared in the room.

"There are demons outside," he stated.

"We know," replied Dean. "Do you know how many?"

"10," he replied. "Is the child safe?"

"Yes, she's in the basement," replied Dean as he headed into his room to gather their weapons.

"I will help you fight," stated Castiel. Sam and Dean nodded their heads in his direction. They headed out the kitchen entrance and were instantly attacked by two demons which Castiel was able to take care of immediately. Sam and Dean headed in one direction while Castiel headed in another. The fight was on. They were all bombarded at once. Meanwhile, Charleigh grew anxious waiting in the basement. She was worried sick about her brothers. She decided that it wouldn't hurt to sneak upstairs and look out the window to see if she could see anything. Once she was upstairs, she peered out the window and saw Sam flung against the tree in front of the house. She gasped in horror. They were putting their lives in danger for her and she couldn't stomach it anymore. She continued to watch as Sam and Dean were used as punching bags by two demons. She walked over to the front door and flung it open. She bravely took a step onto the porch.

"Leave them alone!" she yelled. "I'm right here, it's me you want!" The two demons stopped immediately and turned toward Charleigh. Dean was horrified when he looked up to find Charleigh outside of the cabin. He thought for sure this was it and they were going to take her.

"Get inside Charleigh! Now!" ordered Dean as he picked himself up off of the ground. Within seconds the demons were directly in front of her. Charleigh gasped in fear. One of them reached out and took her arm roughly. Dean went running toward them but was projected several feet away onto the ground. Sam pulled himself up and approached them as well, but he too was flung across the front lawn. The demon forcefully pulled her off of the porch and dragged her toward a car parked on the dirt road that ran in front of the house.

"Not so fast!" demanded Castiel as he suddenly appeared in front of them. He quickly destroyed the demon that wasn't holding Charleigh and then reached for the other and soon enough, he was destroyed too. "We need to leave and fast," stated Castiel as he took Charleigh's arm and led her to the cabin. Sam and Dean followed in behind them.

"Charleigh, pack your things, now," demanded Dean as he tossed her a duffel bag. Charleigh hurried into her room and quickly threw her clothes in and then ran back out to the living room to find them waiting.

"Stay close," said Sam as he grabbed her arm and led her out to the Impala with Dean in front and Castiel in back. They all hopped in, including Castiel. Charleigh buckled up and picked up her blanket from the floor and covered up. Dean sped away from the cabin. Charleigh looked back sadly as they drove away. She looked up to find Dean looking back at her in the rear view mirror and he didn't look happy, but she didn't care. She wasn't about to let them die for her.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly parental spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**I think I may be close to ending this story! Enjoy and please review if you would like to see more of Charleigh! Also, if you have any suggestions on how I could continue the story, that would be great too! Thanks so much for reading!  
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"Any ideas where we should go?" asked Dean about twenty minutes into the ride. He glanced in the rearview mirror to find Charleigh asleep with her head resting against the window. As he looked back at her, tears came to his eyes. He couldn't imagine losing her from their lives, not now, not ever. He had grown to love her even though she drove him bat shit crazy.

"Maine has low demon activity," stated Castiel from the back seat.

"Maine it is then," replied Dean as he glanced over at Sam who was buried in his laptop. "Find anything?" he asked.

"Well, I've narrowed it down to 15 closed coal mines," replied Sam. "But I haven't looked up yet to find which places have had snowfall already." Dean was relieved that they were getting closer on finding the location of the White Lighters.

"That is good news," said Castiel as he glanced over at Charleigh sleeping beside him. "Why did the child leave the cabin and put herself in danger?" he asked.

"I don't know," sighed Dean with frustration. "But she has a lot of explaining to do." They continued the rest of the drive in silence until the sun came up and decided to stop for breakfast. They were already in Maine, but they decided that they wanted to go somewhere more remote in the mountains. Charleigh woke up as the engine came to a stop. She opened her eyes to find Castiel looking at her.

"Do you have a problem?" she questioned.

"No," he replied. "I was just waiting for you to wake up."

"Well, staring is rude," she snapped. Dean hopped out and opened Charleigh's door. She climbed out without looking at Dean or Sam and followed them into the diner. She grabbed a chair next to Sam and across from Castiel, as far away as she could from Dean. Sam discussed the 5 probable locations of the White Lighters until the waitress came over to take their orders. Once they ordered, Sam continued explaining his research and shared that all of the locations were in Pennsylvania in the Appalachian Mountains.

"Well, it looks like we need to come up with a plan," said Dean. "Good job Sammy." Dean looked over at Charleigh who was fidgeting with her placemat, trying hard not to make eye contact with any of them. "Charleigh," Dean stated and waited for her to look at him. Charleigh slowly raised her chin and her eyes met his. She could feel everyone else staring at her as well. "Why did you do it?" he asked sternly causing her face to flush red with embarrassment. She couldn't believe he was calling her out in front of everyone. Charleigh remained quiet. She didn't understand why she had to explain her actions to him, he wouldn't understand anyway. "I'm waiting young lady," he stated sternly.

"I couldn't stand the thought of you and Dean getting hurt or even killed because of me," she blurted out with annoyance. "You should know be by now," she stated rudely as she rolled her eyes. The waitress interrupted their discussion with their breakfast. Dean and Sam were both annoyed with her attitude and her carefree responses. However, more than anything they were both relieved that she was safe. After breakfast, they headed back to the car. They decided they would go to a small town named Southwest Harbor near the Acadia National Park. Charleigh read on her Kindle while Sam, Dean, and Castiel discussed a plan. They decided that Castiel would head to Pennsylvania and check out the mines to see if one of them was the location they were looking for. Seconds later, he was gone. Charleigh was relieved she had the backseat to herself again and she laid down using her comforter as a pillow. "What are you going to do with me when you go and fight Saul?" asked Charleigh curiously as she put her Kindle down on her stomach.

"Handcuff you somewhere safe," replied Dean sarcastically.

"Not a bad idea," agreed Sam.

"Very funny," she snapped.

"You know what's not funny?" snapped Dean from the front seat as he glared back at her through his rearview mirror. "You making selfish, impulsive decisions and disobeying a direct order to stay put!" he yelled. Charleigh sat up in her seat angrily.

"Selfish?" she spat out.

"Yes Charleigh, selfish," stated Sam as he turned in his seat to look at her. "Dean and I have been trying to keep you safe since the moment we met you. And you just throw yourself into danger's way without even thinking about how we are going to feel if something happens to you." Sam looked at her for a moment and then turned away to give her a moment to let it sink in.

"Ok, I get it," she said a few moments later. "But don't I have a say? Can't I make my own decisions?"

"Not when you are 9 years old and have demons after you," ground out Dean angrily. "We've been through this several times, we are the adults and you are the child and you need to do what we tell you to do! It's as simple as that!" Sam turned back around in his seat to look at her.

"Dean and I have been hunting demons for a long time so you just need to trust that we know what we are doing," said Sam firmly.

"And you need to obey us!" yelled Dean.

"So you've said," she snapped rudely. That was it for Dean. He drove a few more miles to a vacant parking lot and pulled in.

"Dean, what are you doing?" questioned Sam.

"I'm tired of her attitude Sammy," he replied angrily. "She just doesn't know when to stop." Charleigh was shocked that Dean had pulled over because he was angry with her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and scooted to the corner of the backseat.

"Dean, this can wait until we get to the motel," stated Sam as he looked back at Charleigh and then back at Dean. "You're angry right now; maybe you should calm down first." Dean sighed. He knew Sam was right. He turned in his seat to face Charleigh.

"I don't want to hear another thing out of your mouth," Dean warned as he waved his pointer finger at her. "Or the next time I pull over, you will be getting exactly what you deserve."

"Ok," whispered Charleigh, relieved. Castiel suddenly appeared in the backseat again as Dean turned back onto the road.

"I found them," he stated. "They are at the Westmoreland Coalfield."

"All right, let's call in reinforcements," announced Dean. "Once we have a motel room, we'll have Castiel bring Bobby and Cole to us."

"What about the kid?" questioned Castiel.

"My name is Charleigh," she snapped, but Castiel ignored her remark.

"We'll have to demon proof the motel room and have Ellen stay with her," replied Sam as he turned and glared back at Charleigh. "And handcuff her if we need to." They finally arrived at a small motel on the outskirts of Southwest Harbor and checked in. Dean, Sam, and Castiel gathered at the small table to discuss their plan while Charleigh collapsed into one of the beds with her Kindle. Once the plan was established, Sam and Castiel headed out to get take out for dinner, leaving Charleigh alone with Dean.

"You have no idea how angry I am with you," said Dean sternly as he sat down at the same bed that Charleigh was reading on. Charleigh continued reading her Kindle until Dean snatched it away. "I'm talking to you young lady," he ground out. Charleigh scooted up into a sitting position. "I'm tired of you disobeying us and putting yourself in danger. It has to stop Charleigh." Dean paused and took a deep breath.

"Ok Dean," she replied as she looked down at her lap. "I'll listen; I'll do what you and Sam tell me to do." Dean reached over and took her chin and adjusted it so she was looking at him.

"I don't trust you," he stated angrily. Tears sprang to her eyes at his words.

"I'm sorry Dean," she replied sadly. "I just wanted to help, that's all."

"I'm not interested in your excuses Charleigh," he replied firmly. "What do you think we should do about the fact that you disobeyed us again?" he questioned angrily. Charleigh shrugged her shoulders and looked down again.

"I know you think I deserve a spanking," she whispered anxiously. With a stern look on his face, Dean nodded in agreement. Charleigh slid off of the bed and approached Dean. She knew by now there was no use in fighting him. She knew it would just make it worse. She knew Dean was a man of his word and rarely was he persuaded once he had his mind made up. She stood in front of him and awaited her fate. Dean reached for her and lifted her across his lap. He pulled down her sweatpants leaving her underwear up. "No Dean," gasped Charleigh as she tried to cover her bottom. Dean moved her hand and then spanked her until Charleigh was sobbing into the comforter and then added about 10 more to drive his point home. He pulled up her sweatpants and let her cry over his lap for a few moments and then lifted her up and set her on his lap.

"Are we clear on following the rules?" he asked sternly.

"Yes Dean," she sobbed. "Someday you'll be able to trust me again."

"I hope so," he replied disappointedly. Dean hugged Charleigh and held her for a few minutes. "We would be devastated if anything ever happened to you. So please Charleigh, do as you're told."

"Yes Dean," she hiccupped as the motel room door opened. Sam and Castiel entered with take outs bags.

"Do you need a few more minutes?" asked Sam as he gave Charleigh an empathetic look. Charleigh's face flushed red with embarrassment. She hated when others knew she was just spanked like a little kid.

"No, we're good," replied Dean as he kissed Charleigh on her forehead and set her on her feet.

"Why is she crying?" asked Castiel curiously.

"Ugh," sighed Charleigh as she rolled her eyes. She really hoped that Dean didn't tell him because she knew that Castiel wouldn't understand and then Dean would have to go into specifics and the thought of that was way too embarrassing for her.

"We just had a little talk about how she put herself in danger back at the cabin," replied Dean as he ruffled the hair on her head.

"Oh," replied Castiel. Charleigh took her take out bag from the table and laid down on her stomach on the bed. She opened it to find a cheeseburger and fries. She began eating while the boys continued to discuss their plan. About an hour later, one by one Castiel brought Bobby, Cole, Jo, and Ellen to the motel room. He didn't bring Dan because he was still possessed and hiding out somewhere with the rest of the demons. They were all happy to reunite and to finally be able to destroy Saul and free the White Lighters. They decided that they would head out in the morning.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.**_

_**Warnings: Some mild language and possibly parental spanking of a minor. Don't like, please don't read! **_

_**I think I may be close to ending this story! Enjoy and please review if you would like to see more of Charleigh! Also, if you have any suggestions on how I could continue the story, that would be great too! Thanks so much for reading!**_

Charleigh was the only one who went to bed that night. Everyone else stayed up and prepared for their fight with Saul and the demon entourage. Sam was able to find a map of the inside of the coal mine and everyone studied the map to make sure they knew which areas they were responsible for searching. Early the next morning, there was a knock on the door. Sam opened the door to find Lenora. "I called in my own reinforcements," stated Castiel as he went and greeted Lenora. Sam and Dean were both happy to see her; they knew she would be very valuable in their fight against the demons. They all made their introductions with Lenora.

Charleigh was overwhelmed with all the activity in the small motel room. She quietly slipped out the back sliding glass door and onto the patio. She paced the patio for a few minutes while she finished eating her bagel. She noticed a child, younger than her, wandering along the tree line behind the motel. She glanced into the motel room to find everyone busy reviewing the plan of attack and then looked back at the girl wandering by the trees. She impulsively took off running toward the little girl. Charleigh finally reached the little girl.

"Are you lost?" asked Charleigh as she stood behind the girl. The girl spun around toward Charleigh and then looked up at her with big, black eyes. Charleigh gasped and turned to run, but ended up tripping over a foot that was behind her. She looked up to find a huge man with a body builder's body and black eyes. He reached down, lifted her from the ground, and tossed her over his shoulder like a rag doll. Meanwhile, Sam glanced up to find that Charleigh was missing and they all frantically began looking for her. Dean headed quickly onto the patio and could faintly see Charleigh being carried away into the woods. He yelled for Sam as he took off running as fast as he could toward them. He tracked them to a roadside and watched as a blue Ford Mustang sped off down the highway.

"No!" hollered Dean frantically. Sam finally caught up and stood beside Dean. "She's really gone this time," he stated angrily. "Stupid, stupid kid, what the hell was she thinking?!" Dean's anger turned to worry and fear.

"We're going to get her back Dean," stated Sam confidently. "We know where they are and we'll be arriving soon after they do."

"Oh God, I hope so," sighed Dean. They raced back to the motel and quickly loaded up Dean's car and Lenora's car and headed on their way. Meanwhile, Charleigh found her hands and legs tied and her mouth taped shut while laying in the trunk of a car. She struggled frantically, but the ropes wouldn't budge. They drove for hours upon hours. Charleigh was hungry, scared, and alone. Her bladder was full and she had to pee, but there was no relief in sight for her. It was pitch dark before the car finally turned onto a dirt road that led back into the woods. The car stopped and they carried her out of the car. Charleigh looked around to find that the outside of the mine looked just like the one in her visions. They carried her inside and tossed her onto the rock floor. Charleigh struggled to get up onto her feet, but was unsuccessful.

"We got the Winchester girl," announced the big demon. A woman with long, black hair approached them.

"Charleigh Winchester, I'm so glad to finally meet you. My name is Saul," hissed the woman as she glared down at Charleigh. "Untie her," she ordered. Charleigh was relieved to finally be free of the ropes around her wrists and ankles. She pulled the tape from her mouth and hopped to her feet. "I haven't decided what to do with you yet," stated Saul condescendingly. "Do I kill you to get revenge on your brothers or do I turn you into their worst fear and leave them no choice but to have to hunt you someday?"

"Go to hell," snapped Charleigh. "I will never become a Dark Lighter!" she yelled angrily. "So you might as well kill me!"

"I like your optimism," laughed Saul. "And I may just do that, but I want to see you suffer first. Put her in a cell away from the others," she ordered. Charleigh was dragged deeper into the mine and tossed into a cell. It was pitch black. She felt her way around the cell and finally found a corner to collapse in. She wanted to be tough and she wanted to be brave, but instead she buried her head in her lap and cried. She regretted all of her actions that led her to Saul's dungeon.


	29. Chapter 29

_**So I kind of left it open ended, do I continue with Charleigh's story or do I end it here? Thanks again for reading! I hope everyone has been enjoying it!**_

As Charleigh sat in the cell, she could feel the dirt floor beneath her loosen. She frantically started digging beside the bars in hopes that she would be able to dig a hole under the cell. She continued to dig for what seemed like hours and although she couldn't see the tips of her fingers, she knew they were bleeding. The pain was almost unbearable at times, but she knew she couldn't give up. Finally, she had a hole that was big enough for her tiny frame to squeeze under. She sighed in relief when she found herself on the other side of the bars. She wandered off quickly to find a place to hide in the darkness that surrounded her.

Meanwhile, the hunters, along with Lenora and Castiel, parked their cars about a mile from the mine. They gathered their weapons and began hiking their way in. They were silent, mostly because they were worried about Charleigh, but also because they were worried about what they were going to find once they got inside. They had no idea how many demons were inside or how powerful Saul was. They finally made it to the entrance. Since Castiel could not enter the mine due to the Enochian Sigils, his job was to clear the entrance way, along with Lenora, so the hunters could enter safely. They counted ten demons guarding the front of the building and soon enough, were on their way to destroy them. While the demons were distracted by Castiel and Lenora, the hunters made their way inside. Once inside, they quickly dispersed in pairs, to the areas of the mine that they were assigned to searching.

Meanwhile, Charleigh found herself coming into an area with more light. She peered around the corner to see shadows. She recognized one of them as Saul's. She quickly turned to run in the opposite direction and bumped into someone. She worriedly looked up to find Dan, but she knew it wasn't really Dan. "Did you really think you would get far?" he growled. Charleigh kicked him as hard as she could in the shin, but he didn't flinch. He reached down and grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off of the ground. "I always hated you, you little brat!" he snarled. Charleigh frantically tried to pull his hands away but he was too strong. He carried her into the area where Saul was and dropped her to the floor. Charleigh's ankle twisted the wrong way as she tumbled to the ground and she winced in pain. "You should destroy this little brat before she causes anymore trouble," mentioned Dan without emotion. Charleigh pulled herself to her feet, unable to put pressure on her right ankle. Two demons approached her and latched onto each of her arms. They quickly tied her hands and feet together and strung her up on a pole that left her hanging above the ground about four feet. Saul approached her slowly.

"I haven't decided what to do with you yet," she stated as she lifted Charleigh's chin with her finger. Charleigh's instant reaction was to spit at her. "You disgusting little pig," she snapped angrily as she slapped Charleigh across the face. Tears sprang to Charleigh's eyes and she could feel blood trickling from her mouth. "Give her ten lashes with the whip," ordered Saul. "This little bitch needs to learn a lesson." Charleigh struggled effortlessly to free herself from the ropes. Then suddenly, she felt the worst pain of her life across her back. She cried out loudly from the pain. She caught her breath and then felt another lash across her back. She screamed again, and then just closed her eyes in an effort to block out the excruciating pain they were inflicting on her.

"That's enough!" boomed a familiar voice. Charleigh opened her eyes to find Bobby standing a few feet away from Saul. She watched in horror as Saul flung him across the room and against the rock wall.

"No!" cried Charleigh.

"Continue!" ordered Saul. Charleigh felt another lash burn against her back.

"You bitch!" yelled Charleigh as she continued to struggle. Suddenly, Charleigh could hear the demon behind her screaming in pain. She watched as Dean and Sam came running in the clearing and directly into Saul.

"We have to move quickly," she heard Cole's voice whisper as he untied her feet and then her hands. He placed Charleigh on her feet.

"Not so fast," she heard Dan's voice echo beside them.

"Hide, now," stated Cole frantically as Dan launched Cole into a wall. Charleigh limped to a dark corner and peered out. She watched in horror as Sam and Dean were continuously tossed into the wall and onto the floor. Lenora finally appeared and quickly exorcised the demon from Dan and then turned toward Saul. She began the exorcism, but Saul was too strong. Saul fought it off until she weakened Lenora. Lenora fell to her knees, holding her head in pain. Thinking quickly, Dean lunged Ruby's knife into Saul's neck. Sam ran over to Charleigh and lifted her from the corner and carried her toward the exit. Charleigh latched onto Sam frantically. He delivered her outside to Castiel.

"You're safe now," he whispered gently. "Cas, please take her to the car," gasped Sam as he turned and ran back into the mine. Sam ran back to Dean to find that the knife had destroyed Saul. "We should find the others," stated Sam. Sam went to Lenora and helped her to her feet. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Let's find the children."

"Where's Charleigh?" questioned Dean.

"She's safe," replied Sam. "She's with Cas." Dean sighed with relief. Cole, Dan, and Bobby joined them and they all headed off to find the rest of the White Lighters. They eventually found them in another corner of the mine with Ellen and Jo. Although they were terrified, the children were safe. They led them out of the mine and into the morning sun. They decided that they would contact the police and have Cas remain with them until the police arrived. Sam and Dean headed back to their car.

"How is she?" asked Dean as he peered into the backseat to find Charleigh wrapped up in her comforter with her eyes closed, leaning against the door and back seat.

"She's in a lot of pain," replied Cas. "Her ankle is badly sprained, she has some gashes on her back, and her fingers are bloody and raw, not to mention the emotional damage that has been done."

"Can you heal her?" asked Sam.

"Unfortunately, I cannot heal White Lighters," he replied. "But her injuries are not life threatening. She will heal. She needs you both now. I will go and stay with the other White Lighters." With that, Castiel disappeared. Dean climbed into the backseat with Charleigh.

"Charleigh," he whispered gently. Charleigh opened her eyes and instantly threw her arms around Dean and latched on tightly. She sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder. Dean held her tightly for a long time and let her cry.

"The police will be on their way soon," said Bobby's voice from outside the car. "We should be going." They said their goodbyes to Dan, Cole, Ellen, Jo, and Lenora.

"Please call me and let me know how she's doing," mentioned Ellen, concerned for the child.

"We will," replied Sam as he gave her a hug. Dean stayed in the backseat with Charleigh while Sam climbed into the driver's seat and Bobby into the passenger's seat. They drove until they came to their first motel. Dean carried Charleigh into the room while Sam started a bath. As they helped her to undress, they gasped at the deep gashes on her back. They gently lowered her into the bathtub. Charleigh whimpered the entire time and attempted to clean herself, but the pain was too much for her. Sam and Dean finished cleaning her up and then helped her to dry off. They placed her on the bed and bandaged up the wounds on her back. Once she had her pajamas on, they bandaged up her fingers and then wrapped her ankle. Dean had some painkillers left from a previous injury and gave ½ of one to her with a glass of water. They helped her to lie down so she was comfortable. Sam kissed her forehead and then Dean appeared next to her.

"Please stay with me," pleaded Charleigh as she grabbed Dean's hand frantically.

"Of course," replied Dean gently. "Just give me a few minutes and then I'll come and lay down with you."

"No, no, don't leave," pleaded Charleigh as she grabbed his hand tighter.

"Charleigh, you're safe now," responded Dean reassuringly.

"Please Dean," she sobbed. "Please."

"Shhh, ok," he replied gently as he climbed in beside her. He placed his arm around her and held her gently. Minutes later, she was asleep. Dean watched her sleep for a few minutes and began to question their ability to care for her. He knew she needed so much more than they were able to give her. He quietly climbed out of the bed so he could talk to Sam and Bobby.

"So what do you boys plan on doing now?"asked Bobby.

"Maybe she has a Grandmother or an Aunt or Uncle that she can live with," replied Dean sadly.

"Seriously Dean?" asked Sam, shocked by his brother's suggestion.

"Look at her Sam, this isn't the life for a child," stated Dean. "She needs a normal life. Even if it's only temporary." Sam shook his head in disbelief. He knew Dean was scared for Charleigh, but he also knew that Charleigh needed them and they needed her. However, he knew once Dean had his mind made up about something, it was difficult to make him see otherwise.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Sorry, just a short filler chapter! More excitement coming soon! Thanks again for your reviews! Any suggestions? **_

"Dean, Charleigh will never have a normal life," stated an agitated Sam. "And what happens when another demon takes Saul's place and they start hunting the White Lighters again? Then what? Who will be there to protect her?"

"Dammit Sam!" snapped Dean. "I don't know, but we'll figure it out! All I know is that we lose everyone we care about and I won't let that happen with her. We almost lost her today! She needs a new life, far away from us." Sam turned toward Bobby for help and Bobby threw his arms up in defeat. He never liked to take sides with Sam and Dean. However, he knew Dean was emotional right now after everything that had happened and hoped that he changed his mind about Charleigh. Dean grabbed his duffel bag and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

"He can't be serious," sighed Sam.

"Give him some time," replied Bobby. "I think he's just feeling guilty about what happened to Charleigh." Sam nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm going to grab us some food," stated Sam as he grabbed the car keys from the table and headed out the door. Bobby nodded and sat down at the table and peered over at Charleigh, sound asleep in the bed. He was thankful they were able to rescue her in time, but he was worried about the emotional scars that would be left. He knew she had already been through so much in her short 9 years and wasn't sure how much more she would be able to handle. He was also worried that she would never be able to handle it if Sam and Dean were to leave her.

Once Dean came out of the shower, Bobby grabbed his duffel bag and headed to the motel office to get his own room. He needed some serious sleep and he knew he wouldn't get it with Sam and Dean bickering constantly. Dean threw on some pajamas and climbed into the bed with Charleigh. He clicked the TV on and was asleep within minutes. Sam came back about an hour later with some deli sandwiches and threw them into the refrigerator for later. He pulled a stuffed owl from the bag as well and placed it on the pillow next to Charleigh. He thought it could be a reminder to her that they were always watching over her. He too collapsed into his bed and was asleep within minutes.

By the time they woke up it was 6 o'clock the next morning, 16 hours later. Dean woke up first, feeling restless and went out for a run. Charleigh woke up next and was immediately startled when Dean wasn't beside her. "Dean!" she cried out. "Dean, where are you?!" Sam woke up to her cries and immediately went to her. He sat down next to her and grabbed her hands. "Sam, where's Dean?" she asked pleadingly.

"He probably just went for a walk," replied Sam as he pushed her bangs from her eyes. Charleigh pulled herself into a sitting position and whimpered from the pain. "Charleigh, lie back down honey, you're safe, it's ok," he said reassuringly.

"No!" cried Charleigh. "I need Dean!" Sam felt helpless and wasn't sure how to help her. Charleigh attempted to climb out of the bed and Sam gently tried to guide her back. She started flailing her arms at him and crying uncontrollably. Sam picked up his phone and called Dean, hoping he would pick up.

"Yeah?" said Dean as he answered the phone.

"Please tell me you will be back soon?" questioned Sam.

"I'm headed back now," replied Dean. "About 5 minutes."

"Ok," replied Sam. "I can't calm Charleigh." Dean raced back to the motel and opened the door to find Charleigh trying to push Sam out of the way so she could get out of bed. Sam backed off as soon as he saw Dean. Dean immediately went to Charleigh and she threw her arms around him frantically. Dean glanced at Sam concerningly as he held her tightly for a few minutes.

"I'm right here," he said reassuringly. Dean guided her back to a sitting position on the bed and sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Sore," she replied.

"Why don't you lie down on your stomach so I can take a look at your back?" Dean suggested. Charleigh agreed and turned over so she was on her stomach. Dean lifted up her shirt and pulled back the bandages to check the gashes. He covered them back up and helped her turn over to her side. "Your back looks better," he stated as he took her hands and pulled back the bandages to check her fingers. He thought her fingers looked better as well.

"Are you going to punish me for wandering off?" she asked sadly as he covered her fingers back up. Dean looked up at her in surprise.

"I think you've been punished enough," he replied gently as he ruffled the hair on her head. Charleigh grinned with relief.

"Where are we headed now?" she asked curiously.

"Well, we'll head to Bobby's this afternoon and we were thinking that once you are feeling better, we could set up some visits with some of your family members," replied Dean. "Do you have any Grandparents, Aunts, or Uncles?" asked Dean. Sam angrily left the conversation and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Charleigh thought for a minute.

"Well, I have a Grandmother and a Grandfather that I haven't seen since I was six," replied Charleigh. "My Mom got into a big fight with them and I haven't seen them since then. My Mom also has a brother that she used to talk about. I think his name is Matthew." Charleigh looked at Dean curiously. "Why do you think we should visit them?" she asked.

"Because they're your family and they could be wondering about you," replied Dean.

"I doubt it," she replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "I really have no desire to see any of them. Besides, you and Sam are my family and you are all I need." Dean grinned and started questioning his decision to send her away. As much as he wanted her with them, he couldn't shake the constant fear that they were going to lose her.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Hi Everyone! This chapter is mostly about the aftermath of Charleigh's capture by Saul. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I have an idea of where I am going to take it next, but that may change as I continue to write. Thanks so much for reading! Please review! **_

A few weeks had passed since returning to Bobby's. Charleigh's physical wounds were healed and the scars were fading away. However, she was still experiencing separation anxiety when it came to Dean. She was clingy and shadowed him constantly around Bobby's house. At night, she refused to sleep alone, so Sam moved into Charleigh's room while Charleigh took over Sam's bed in the same room as Dean's. It was becoming frustrating for everyone to watch, but they hoped it would eventually just go away. Sam and Bobby also noticed more defiance with her as well, but Dean made them agree not to address it and repeatedly made excuses for her inappropriate behaviors. Finally, one day after doing some research, Bobby pulled Sam and Dean aside when Charleigh was asleep. They gathered at the kitchen table.

"I don't know about you boys," began Bobby. "But Charleigh's attachment to Dean is not getting any better. I've done some research on separation anxiety and it occurs mostly with young children. When young children don't want to leave their parents to go to daycare or preschool, they recommend just leaving them. It said they will cry and possibly throw a fit for the first few times, but eventually it gets better."

"So what are you suggesting?" questioned Dean hesitantly.

"Tomorrow night you boys go out, go somewhere, to a bar, dinner, something," he stated. "I will take care of Charleigh. If she throws a fit, we'll work through it, but we need to start somewhere."

"Yeah, I think it sounds like a great idea," agreed Sam, tired of watching Charleigh follow Dean around like a wounded little puppy.

"I don't know Bobby," said Dean hesitantly.

"Dean, do you want that child following you around for the rest of your life?" asked Bobby sternly. Meanwhile, Charleigh woke up to find that Dean was missing from the room and hopped out of bed looking for him. She checked the bathroom and Sam's room, but she couldn't find him. She then heard voices coming from downstairs in the kitchen and crept to the top of the stairs. She heard her name mentioned and sat quietly on the top step to see if she could hear anything else. "Besides Dean, if you really intend to send her to live with relatives, then you need to break this attachment behavior or its going to be even more of a traumatic experience for her." Charleigh gasped at Bobby's statement.

"You're right," sighed Dean. They heard footsteps come pounding down the stairs and looked up to find Charleigh glaring at them from the bottom step.

"You don't want me anymore?!" she demanded angrily.

"Watch yourself," warned Dean, surprised by her attitude.

"Were you listening in our conversation?" questioned Sam sternly as he stood up from the table and approached her.

"Yes," she snapped boldly as she stomped her foot on the step.

"Go to your room," ordered Sam as he pointed back up the stairs. Charleigh looked pleadingly toward Dean.

"Sam, it's all right," mentioned Dean. Sam turned and glared at Dean.

"No Dean, it's not all right," replied Sam angrily. "She has gotten away with a lot these last three weeks and it needs to stop. She's been a rude, disrespectful, defiant, little brat." Sam turned back toward Charleigh. "Go to your room," he ordered sternly. Charleigh angrily stomped on Sam's foot. Sam went to pick her up, but Dean intervened. He got up from the table and approached her.

"Come on, I'll walk you up," he said gently as he put his arm around her shoulder and ascended the stairs with her. Sam was fuming and looked toward Bobby for support.

"What is wrong with him?" sighed Sam angrily.

"Guilt," replied Bobby as he shook his head. Sam sat back down at the table across from Bobby.

"That child is in dire need of a spanking to set her straight," stated Sam, still angry.

"I know," replied Bobby. "I'll talk to him." Sam nodded his head and got up to grab a few beers from the refrigerator. About an hour later, Dean returned to the kitchen. "I hope you laid down the law," stated Sam, as Dean sat down next to Bobby.

"I told her it wasn't acceptable and it couldn't happen again," replied Dean.

"Dude, 2 weeks ago you would have never let that go with just a warning," snapped Sam.

"Well, things are different now Sammy," sighed Dean. "I also had to tell her that Bobby misspoke and we only wanted her to go and meet with her Grandparents."

"So you lied to her? That's just great." snapped Sam as he stood up from the table. "I don't know who you are anymore." Sam wandered upstairs to his room. Bobby looked over at Dean with concern.

"Not you too?" questioned Dean angrily.

"You idgit," huffed Bobby as he too got up and left the table. The next morning after breakfast, Sam told Charleigh that they would begin with her schoolwork again. He decided that she needed some structure, even if he was the only one providing it.

"I don't feel like it today," she replied nonchalantly.

"It's not a choice Charleigh," replied Sam sternly. Charleigh turned toward Dean for support. "Dean, can you please leave us?" questioned Sam as he glared over at Dean, across from him at the table. Dean hesitated for a moment and then stood up from the table. Charleigh gasped as he left the room and attempted to jump up to follow him. Sam took her arm and sat her back down and held her there with his hands on her knees. Charleigh turned angrily to glare at him. "Now you listen to me," he stated sternly. "You are going to sit here and do your schoolwork for an hour. If you continue to refuse, I will put you over my knee, and then you will still have to do your schoolwork when I am finished spanking you."

"Dean won't allow it," she snapped back.

"Dean is not the only adult in charge of you," stated Sam firmly. Charleigh glared at him defiantly for a moment and then finally gave in.

"Fine," she huffed. Charleigh obediently completed the assignments that Sam gave to her for the first half hour. However, after that, she decided that she was done. "Can we be done now?" whined Charleigh. "Dean and I were going to watch a movie."

"The movie can wait," replied Sam sternly as he looked at his watch. "You still have a half hour left."

"Since when did you turn into the mean one?" she huffed impatiently.

"Charleigh," sighed Sam. "I have had enough of the whining and complaining, now finish your work." Sam's patience was wearing thin. He was relieved to see that she finally gave up and continued with her work. That evening, Bobby urged Dean to head out for a few hours. Sam decided to stay back and help Bobby with Charleigh since they weren't sure what kind of reaction they were going to get out of her. After dinner, Dean announced to Charleigh that he was headed out for a few hours.

"Can I come?" she asked.

"Not this time kiddo," replied Dean as he headed upstairs to grab his coat. Charleigh jumped up and attempted to follow him, but Sam took her arm gently and turned her to face him.

"He'll be down in a minute to say good bye," Sam said gently. Charleigh waited anxiously for Dean to come back downstairs and latched onto his arm once he did.

"Please don't go," she pleaded. Sam released Charleigh's grip from Dean and held onto her tightly from behind.

"Bye Dean," said Sam, gesturing to Dean to leave. Dean hesitated, but then kissed Charleigh on the forehead and then walked out the door. He felt bad leaving her, but he also felt like he was suffocating having her around him all the time. He knew it had to be done, for both their sake's.

"Let me go!" cried Charleigh as she struggled to free herself from Sam's grip. She began throwing her legs around and attempted to scratch Sam's arms that were wrapped around her. "Let me go Sam!" she cried again. Charleigh continued to struggle. Sam carried her over to the kitchen table and sat down with her on his lap while Bobby watched from a distance in case he had to intervene. Sam still held her tightly from behind. "I hate you Sam!" she yelled as tears fell from her eyes. "I hate you!" Sam knew she was just angry, but her words still hurt him. Charleigh continue to struggle and yell for about twenty more minutes, and then Sam could finally feel her relaxing in his arms and she began sobbing. "I need Dean," she sobbed.

"Dean will be back," replied Sam reassuringly. Sam released Charleigh while Bobby stayed near the door in case she decided to bolt, but she didn't. She remained calm and wiped the tears from her face. Bobby and Sam were both relieved. "How about we watch a movie?" suggested Sam. "I think that Lego cartoon movie is on HBO in about 10 minutes."

"Ok," Charleigh quietly replied. Sam lifted her from his lap and followed her into the Living Room. Charleigh watched the movie with Sam and Bobby and then obediently went up to bed. After Sam kissed her goodnight, Charleigh curled up with her owl and peered around her room anxiously. She fell asleep and woke up a few hours later to find that Dean wasn't home yet. She crept downstairs to find Sam and Bobby passed out in the Living Room. Impulsively, she slid on her sneakers that were sitting by the back door and crept outside into the darkness. She knew the closest bar was about two miles down the road and she knew Dean well enough to assume that he was at a bar. She took off running toward the direction of the bar. After about 10 minutes, a car pulled up behind her. She spun around and was blinded by the headlights. She tried to look away, but couldn't. "Oh shit, not again," she sighed as she collapsed onto the ground.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Hi everyone! Thank you for all your reviews! I think I might take a break on writing this for a little while. I got kind of a nasty/disgusting review last night and I lost some of my motivation. I'm sorry! Thanks again for reading!**_

Charleigh knew this time she was having another vision. She saw a man whom she didn't recognize. Then, she saw Cas standing in front of him with his hands up in retreat. She watched in horror as the man raised his right hand and produced a ball of fire with black smoke billowing from it. "No!" she cried as he directed the fire toward Castiel. Suddenly, Castiel disappeared in the black smoke. When the smoke cleared, Castiel was gone. "Castiel!" cried Charleigh. The man turned toward Charleigh and she felt like he was looking right at her. Although she didn't recognize him, he had a face she would never forget.

"What the hell Charleigh?!" boomed Dean's voice as his outline appeared in front of her. Charleigh closed her eyes for a few seconds and then reopened them to find Dean hovering over her. She jumped to her feet, relieved to see him. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I was coming to find you," she replied.

"Dammit Charleigh," he sighed angrily. "Get your ass in the car." Charleigh was annoyed that he seemed angry with her and turned and headed to the car. She hopped in the back seat and slammed the door. Within a few minutes, they were back at Bobby's. Bobby and Sam both came running toward the car with flashlights in their hands. They were relieved once they spotted Charleigh in the backseat. Charleigh jumped from the car and ran into the house without a saying a word to anyone. "I found her on the side of the road," stated Dean angrily. Sam shook his head in anger as well.

"I'm going to head in and make sure she's not doing anything destructive," stated Bobby as he turned and headed into the house. He figured Sam and Dean needed to work some things out.

"This is your entire fault," sighed Sam angrily. Sam waited for Dean to unload on him and was surprised when he didn't.

"I know," replied Dean. "Every time I think that she needs to be disciplined, I think about what happened to her at the mine and what could've happened to her if we didn't get to her when we did." Dean drew in a deep breath and exhaled.

"I know," replied Sam. He understood exactly what Dean was trying to say. "But Dean, she relies on us to give her structure and guidance. The sooner we move on from what happened, the sooner she will be able to move on."

"I will deal with it," replied Dean as he headed toward the house. Dean entered the kitchen to find Bobby at the table with a beer. "Everything ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's back in bed," replied Bobby. Dean headed up the stairs to his room to find Charleigh in Sam's bed. He sat down on the bed next to her.

"I know you're awake," he stated sternly. "Sit up." Charleigh obeyed and slowly pulled herself into a sitting position. "This is going to stop, all of it," he ground out firmly. Charleigh's eyes widened at the firmness to his voice. "You will do as you're told, you will be respectful, you won't wander off without permission, you won't tantrum when I leave, and starting tomorrow night, you will go back to sleeping in your own bed." Charleigh sat quietly without responding. She knew Dean was back to being Dean again. "And you have a choice, we can take care of your punishment now or tomorrow," he stated sternly.

"Punishment?" she whispered.

"Did you really think you would get away with wandering off without any consequences?" he questioned sternly.

"Actually, yes," she replied honestly.

"You thought wrong," he replied. "So what's it going to be?"

"I guess now," she pouted. Dean nodded his head and reached over and pulled her over his lap. He tugged down her pajama bottoms and began spanking her. Charleigh began sobbing right away, feeling bad that she had pushed him this far. The spanking lasted longer than usual and Charleigh could've sworn her butt was on fire. Dean finally finished and let her sob over his lap for a few minutes before helping her to her feet. Dean reached out and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry Dean," she sobbed.

"I know," he replied gently. He held her for a few moments and then released her. "It's back to business as usual," he stated firmly. "You do the crime, you face the consequence. Kapeesh?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh as she rubbed her bottom. She went around to the other side of the bed and climbed in under the covers. "I had another vision," she stated quietly.

"You did?" questioned Dean. "Do you remember it?"

"Yes," whispered Charleigh as she felt her eyes well up with tears again. "I saw a man and I saw Cas. The man threw a ball of fire with black smoke surrounding it at Cas." Charleigh paused and wiped her eyes. "When the smoke cleared, Cas was gone."

"A Dark Lighter?" questioned Dean.

"I don't know," replied Charleigh.

"Did you recognize the man?" asked Dean worriedly.

"No," frowned Charleigh. "But I will never forget him."

"Ok, goodnight honey, don't worry, Cas is safe," he said gently as he kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be downstairs for a little while."

"You're leaving me?" she pleaded worriedly.

"Charleigh," he warned.

"Ok, ok, I know," she replied. "Goodnight Dean." Dean headed downstairs and told Sam and Bobby about Charleigh's vision.

"Sounds like danger is headed our way again," Dean commented worriedly. "I'm thinking it might be a good time to get Charleigh reacquainted with her Grandparents. Cas is going to need our help if someone is out to destroy him."

"I'm sorry Dean, but I just can't support you on this," replied Sam. "She's going to feel like we are abandoning her." Dean knew Sam was right, but he didn't know what else to do to protect her. They're lifestyle was dangerous and definitely wasn't the life for a 9 year old.

"Let's just bring her to see them and see how it goes from there," suggested Dean. "I'll do some research tonight to see what I can find on them."

"Fine," replied Sam, knowing that Dean had legitimate concerns. "I'll do some research too." The next day they all slept in and woke up in the late morning. Charleigh sat up in her bed and couldn't believe how sore her bottom still was. Dean sure left an impression she wouldn't forget anytime soon. She glanced over at Dean who was still sleeping, so she grabbed a clean set of clothes and headed into the shower. After she was showered and dressed, she headed downstairs to find Dean, Sam and Bobby eating at the table.

"Hey kiddo," said Dean as he handed her an empty plate. "Eggs and bacon, help yourself." Charleigh scooped some eggs on her plate and grabbed a few pieces of bacon. She placed her plate on the counter and figured she would be more comfortable if she stood while eating. "We're going on a little road trip to Nebraska today," mentioned Dean.

"To see Ellen and Jo?" Charleigh questioned excitedly.

"Well, no, not exactly," replied Dean. "We're going to go and see your Grandparents and then maybe we can stop to see Ellen on the way home."

"Oh ok," Charleigh replied quietly.

"I called them and they are expecting us around dinner time," replied Dean.

"Ok," replied Charleigh. A few hours later, Dean, Sam, and Charleigh were packed up and ready to go. They threw their bags in the trunk and were soon on their way to Lincoln, Nebraska. Charleigh couldn't shake the bad feeling she had about their impending visit with her Grandparents, but she trusted that Sam and Dean knew what they were doing.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Hi, I'm back with more! I enjoy writing this story so much and I'm not going to let some idiot make me stop writing it! If someone doesn't like it, that's fine, but there is no need to be nasty and disgusting - just don't read it! Thanks again! Please review!**_

"Ugh!" huffed Charleigh from the backseat. "Why do we always have to go on road trips after a spanking?"

"Well, maybe you should stop getting yourself in trouble and then it wouldn't be an issue," chuckled Dean from the front seat. Charleigh thought for a moment.

"I don't think that's possible," she replied. "I just can't help myself. Besides, trouble always seems to find me."

"Well, here's something to keep you out of trouble," replied Sam as he turned in his seat and gave her a folder of school work to complete. Charleigh rolled her eyes and took the folder from him. She collapsed into her seat and pulled out a Math paper to start working on. After about an hour, she set her folder down.

"So do my Grandparents remember me?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, of course," replied Dean. "They said they were trying to convince your Mom to let you go and live with them and that is why they had a huge fight."

"Oh," replied Charleigh thoughtfully. "Did you look into them? They're not like criminals or monsters or something worse? Are they?"

"We wouldn't be taking you to visit them if we thought they were dangerous," replied Sam.

"Oh," replied Charleigh thoughtfully again. "Do they know that Norman wasn't really my father? That their daughter was a whore?"

"Hey, watch the mouth," warned Dean. "And yes, I explained everything to them," replied Dean as he glanced back at her through his mirror. "They're excited to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same," she mumbled under her breath. Charleigh picked her schoolwork folder back up and continued working on it. They stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and for lunch, and then finally around 5pm pulled into a suburban neighborhood outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. Dean parked in the driveway of a small raised ranch with white siding and red shutters. The outside was decorated for Christmas with lights and a blow up Santa and his reindeer. "Santa, what a joke," snapped Charleigh as soon as she saw it. "He never brought me any presents." Sam looked toward Dean and frowned at Charleigh's comment. They headed up the front door and a middle aged couple in their fifties answered. The woman was short and round with graying, short brown hair and eyes. The man was tall and slim with balding gray hair and dark eyes.

"Charleigh!" exclaimed the woman as she threw her arms around her and lifted her from the ground. Dean and Sam chuckled when they saw the expression on Charleigh's face.

"Please don't touch me again," stated Charleigh when the woman placed her back on her feet. The woman's face blushed red with embarrassment.

"I'm Constance," said the woman as she extended her hand to Dean, and then to Sam. "And this is my husband, Frank." Frank extended his hand and shook hands with them as well. "Please come in." They entered the house to find a boy, about Charleigh's age, waiting at the top of the stairs. He was blonde with blue eyes and dressed in a Christmas sweater and khaki's. "Charleigh, this is your cousin, Max," announced Constance. "He just turned ten and he lives here with us." Charleigh glared at Max for a moment and then grinned.

"Why does he live with you?" she asked bluntly.

"His Dad, your Uncle Matt, has been missing for two years and his Mom passed away in a car accident," replied Constance.

"I'm sorry to hear that," stated Sam. Sam glanced at Dean. He had a feeling there was more to the story than they were letting on. Charleigh glanced around the upstairs of the house and felt uncomfortable with the amount of decorations. It seemed a little farfetched to her, right down to Max's Christmas sweater. She grabbed onto Sam's hand uncomfortably. Sam glanced down at her and grinned at her reassuringly. Frank took their coats and they all gathered at the dining room table.

"We thought we would have an early Christmas dinner since you are all here to celebrate with us," stated Frank as he sat down at the table.

"When is Christmas?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"Two weeks away," replied Max excitedly. "Didn't you ask Santa for anything?"

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Santa is a fraud," snapped Charleigh.

"Charleigh," whispered Constance as she shook her head no. Charleigh glanced at her awkwardly.

"Liar!" shouted Max as tears came to his eyes.

"Well, he never came to see me," replied Charleigh angrily.

"Maybe because you're a little brat!" shouted Max.

"Ok, I think that's enough," interrupted Dean uncomfortably.

"Well, I never," huffed Constance from the end of the table as she glared over at Charleigh. Charleigh watched as Constance stood up and put her arms around Max. "It's ok Max," she said soothingly. "Santa will come and bring you new toys." Charleigh leaned into Dean and grabbed his hand.

"Constance, Charleigh hasn't had the best childhood, so her outlook on things isn't the same as everyone else's," stated Sam. "We apologize if she caused any problems."

"Oh, it's fine," replied Constance. "I know my daughter had her issues."

"That's an understatement," huffed Charleigh under her breath, but loud enough so everyone could hear her. Both Constance and Frank looked her at Charleigh curiously.

"Well then, why don't you tell us about your Mother?" suggested Frank.

"That's probably not a good idea," interrupted Dean as he looked down at Charleigh.

"No, I think it's a great idea," announced Charleigh as she stood up from her seat. "Your daughter was a drug addict, an alcoholic, a whore, and a shitty Mother!" she announced angrily. Constance, Frank, and Max were stunned by her outburst. Charleigh walked away from the table and headed into the Living Room.

"Do you just allow her to speak like that?" she heard Frank ask from the dining room area.

"Well, yeah, if it's warranted," replied Dean. "She has a lot of anger toward her Mother and personally, I don't blame her one bit." Charleigh was relieved to hear Dean defending her. The next thing she knew, Max was sitting next to her on the couch.

"What do you want?" questioned Charleigh rudely as she turned toward him.

"Why are you so negative?" he asked curiously.

"Because I never had any of this," replied Charleigh with resentment in his voice. "I never had a Christmas tree, decorations, Christmas dinners, family, nothing."

"I'm sorry," he replied sincerely. "Grandma goes a little over the top, but she tries to make holidays special for me. She was so excited to have you come and visit us. She's been preparing for it all day." Charleigh suddenly felt bad. She stood up from the couch and went back into the dining room where Sam and Dean were still trying to smooth things over.

"Constance, Frank," she stated. "I'm sorry for responding the way I did about my Mother." Both Dean and Sam were pleased with her for taking the initiative to apologize. As Charleigh looked over toward Constance and Frank, a picture behind their heads caught her eye. She stepped closer to get a better look. "Who is that?" she demanded anxiously as she began shaking. Sam could sense that something wasn't right and stood up and put his hands on her shoulders.

"That's your Uncle Matt," replied Constance. Charleigh spun around frantically to face Sam. "What's wrong?" questioned Constance. Dean stood up and hurried over to Charleigh as well.

"That's him!" she panicked. Sam and Dean instantly knew who she was referring to. "He's going to kill Cas!" she cried. She turned to face Frank and Constance worriedly. She wondered if they knew about Matt and if they were hiding anything else.


	34. Chapter 34

_**Enjoy and please review! Thanks again SO MUCH for reading! **_

"Kill who?" questioned Constance as she stood up from the table.

"Your son is a bad man!" cried Charleigh. Sam grabbed Charleigh and pushed her behind him, so she was in front of Dean.

"How do you know my son?" questioned Constance. Charleigh fought her way to get in front of Sam again, but Dean held onto her from behind.

"Calm down and keep your mouth closed," whispered Dean into her ear. "We'll handle this." Charleigh wanted to do what Dean told her to do, but she was all riled out and wanted answers.

"He is going to kill our friend!" she cried out from behind Sam. "Where is he?" she demanded. Sam spun around and glared at Charleigh and then gave Dean a quick look.

"Charleigh, enough," warned Dean as he turned her to face him. "Go in the Living Room and sit with Max and we'll discuss this with Constance and Frank." Charleigh attempted to respond, but was cut off by Dean. "Now," he ordered. She threw her arms up in defeat and walked away. Sam and Dean attempted to calm Frank and Constance down and sat together at the table with them again. "Sometimes Charleigh has visions," began Dean. "And she thinks 'Matt' was in one of her visions, hurting one of our friends."

"Oh well, she must be mistaken because Matt never had a mean bone in his body," replied Frank.

"I'm sure," replied Sam.

"Besides, we have no idea where he is," replied Constance. "He lost it when his wife died and took off. He felt responsible for her death since he was the one driving the car. Meanwhile, Charleigh and Max were having their own conversation in the Living Room.

"My Dad would never hurt anyone," mentioned Max to Charleigh.

"Your Dad is a bad man," stated Charleigh.

"He is not!" snapped Max angrily as he gave Charleigh a shove onto the floor.

"How dare you!" she yelled as she pulled herself up and punched him in the nose.

"Ow!" he screeched as blood trickled from his nose. "Grandma!" he cried.

"Baby," sighed Charleigh.

"Charleigh," boomed Dean's voice from behind her. Charleigh sighed and turned around to face Dean while Constance went running by her to comfort Max. "I think it's time to leave," he said as he took her hand.

"Thank you for inviting us," said Sam as he appeared next to Sam and Dean. "And sorry we couldn't stay to eat."

"Not so fast!" boomed Frank's voice from behind them. "You can leave, but Charleigh is staying."

"Excuse me?" questioned Dean sternly as he placed Charleigh's hand into Sam's and turned to face Frank. "She will be coming with us," Dean stated firmly, standing his ground against Frank.

"We want custody of her," demanded Frank. "We have big plans for her." He glared over at Charleigh and smiled. Charleigh glared back at him and stuck her tongue out. Constance stood up from helping Max and stood beside Frank. "We are her Grandparents and I think a judge would see that we would be able to provide a better and stable environment for her." Charleigh couldn't help herself and flashed her middle finger at them.

"You'll have to find us first," replied Dean angrily. "Let's go Sammy," urged Dean as they all turned and rushed for the door. They kept checking behind them to make sure they weren't being followed, but they safely climbed into the car and sped off. "What the hell was that?" sighed Dean. "Crazy bastards."

"I don't know," replied Sam. "But I sure wish Cas was around to give us some answers."

"I knew they were bad news," snapped Charleigh from the backseat. Suddenly, Cas appeared beside Charleigh. "Ugh!" huffed Charleigh with annoyance as she jumped from the surprise.

"You called?" questioned Castiel. Dean and Sam described Charleigh's vision to him and then told him about their most recent experience with Frank and Constance. "They are not Dark Lighters," stated Cas. "But they know about the powers of their children. It sounds like they are trying to recruit Charleigh and guide her toward a life as a Dark Lighter."

"What about Max?" questioned Charleigh.

"The boy will not have powers," replied Cas.

"Good, cause he's pussy," she replied. Dean and Sam chuckled from the front seat.

"I fear Matthew will come for Charleigh," stated Cas. "The angels have seen him and say he is alive and well."

"Not again," sighed Charleigh.

"Maybe you should go back to the cabin and hide out while I do some research on Matthew," stated Cas.

"No, no more hiding out," pleaded Charleigh.

"Charleigh, Cas is right," stated Sam. "We don't know anything about Matthew or what he's capable of."

"I will get started, use the Sigil of Dark Light to keep them out," stated Cas as he disappeared. Charleigh threw herself against the backseat and crossed her arms in front of her.

"I don't want to hide out anymore," she pouted angrily. "This is your entire fault Dean," she snapped as she kicked the back of his seat angrily. Dean glanced back at her through the rear view mirror. He decided against a confrontation with her since he knew she was right. He couldn't believe how stupid he was to walk right into their trap.

"I'm sure they were already looking for you," replied Sam as he turned in his seat to face her. Charleigh nodded and sat back silently in her seat. Her eyes slowly closed as she watched the cars fly by. She awoke the next morning to find that they were at a rest stop parking lot. She looked into the front seat to find both Sam and Dean sound asleep. She had to pee really bad and contemplated waiting them up. She finally decided she would because she knew they would accuse her of sneaking out if she didn't.

"Sam," she stated. She watched as Sam slowly opened his eyes and turned to face her.

"I have to use the bathroom," she said anxiously.

"Ok," he replied as he pushed open his door and climbed out. Charleigh climbed out and walked with Sam to the bathrooms. He opened the door to the family room and made sure it was clear and then allowed Charleigh in to use it. After she used the bathroom, she convinced Sam to buy her some snacks from the vending machine before heading back to the car where Dean was still sounds asleep. Charleigh purposely slammed her door after to climbed in, startling Dean. She giggled as he jumped up in his seat.

"Very funny," he said as he turned in his seat and starting tickling her.

"Stop, stop now," she giggled. Dean leaned over more in his seat and continued to tickle her. Charleigh continued to laugh in response. Dean finally stopped and grabbed the bag of popcorn she bought from the vending machine. "Hey, that's mine," she whined as she tried to grab it back.

"Mine now twerp," he replied. Sam sighed and pushed open his door.

"I'll go get some more," sighed Sam.

"Where are we?" asked Charleigh as Sam closed the door behind him.

"About halfway to New York," replied Dean.

"So we're really going to go into hiding again?" she questioned with disappointment.

"Charleigh, you're safety comes first," replied Dean as he turned in his seat to look at her. "And I'm sorry I brought you into a potentially dangerous situation. I had no idea."

"That's ok," she replied.

"And Charleigh," he continued sternly. "If we find ourselves in a situation like that again, you need to back off and let Sam and I do the talking. I know you mean well, but we're the professionals, not you."

"Ok Dean," she replied.

"And please don't assault anymore children," he stated sternly.

"The little bitch deserved it," she replied and couldn't help laughing, "His sweater was ridiculous and he CRIED when I told him there wasn't a Santa." Dean laughed along with her; he thought the kid was pretty lame too. Sam climbed back into the car with a handful of snacks and they were finally on the road again. They had about another 12 hours to go and stopped a few times along the way. They were almost to the cabin when they passed a stand selling Christmas trees. Both Sam and Dean exchanged looks.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Dean.

"I think so," replied Sam as he looked back at Charleigh sleeping soundly in the backseat. "We can grab a tree and then run I can run into Wal-Mart real quick and grab some supplies to go with it." Dean smiled and turned around and pulled into the parking lot of where they were selling the Christmas trees. He jumped out and quickly picked out the smallest, but roundest tree he could find and tied it to the roof of the car. They stopped again at Wal-Mart and Dean waited while Sam grabbed a stand and decorations for the tree. They were both very excited to be able to give Charleigh a Christmas since they both knew very well what it was like to feel 'forgotten' at Christmas time. Sam thought back to all the times when Dean tried to make sure he had a Christmas while their Dad was on a hunt. After they ran their errands, they headed to the cabin. Sam carried a sleeping Charleigh into the house and put her gently into her bed. Charleigh opened her eyes for a second and then rolled over and went back to sleep. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean put the tree in its stand and decided they would wait until the next morning to decorate it with Charleigh.

The next morning Charleigh woke up earlier than Sam and Dean. Even though she didn't want to be in hiding again, she felt 'at home' at the cabin. She headed out to the Living Room and smiled at the sight of the Christmas tree. Technically, it was her first Christmas ever since she couldn't remember if they celebrated Christmas before her 'Father' died. She sat down on the couch and just stared at the tree for a few minutes. Soon, Sam came into the room, followed by Dean. "Thank you," she smiled as she jumped up from the couch and gave Sam a hug and then Dean.

"We have some decorating to do," announced Dean as he placed the Wal-Mart bags on the floor in front of the tree. Charleigh happily began searching through the bags and pulled out the boxes of lights. Together, they successfully decorated Charleigh's first Christmas tree. Cas appeared in the Living Room as they were cleaning up the mess they had made.

"Matthew is working to round up Dark Lighters that are 'fully' Dark Lighters, he is considered their 'Alpha'" announced Cas. "He is working with a demon named Benny. He is looking for Charleigh too because he wants to make sure she commits to a life as a Dark Lighter. That explains why her Grandparents want custody of her so that they can ensure Matthew can guide her the way he wants to."

"Why would my Grandparents want me to become evil?" frowned Charleigh.

"Dark Lighters can persuade humans to think in irrational ways," replied Cas. "Your Grandparents have been 'brainwashed' into thinking that angels are bad and need to be destroyed. Matthew convinced them that your Mother was bad too since she sided with the angels. That may have been what caused your Mother to lose control." Charleigh suddenly felt bad for her Mother. She knew it must not have been easy for her to have a family that wanted to destroy her. "Matthew does not know where Charleigh is, so she is safe." Cas handed another necklace to Charleigh. "Wear this along with your other necklace," he stated. "It will keep the Dark Lighters from finding you."


	35. Chapter 35

_**Thanks again for reading and for your reviews! **_

"Listen to this," stated Sam to Dean a few days later as he opened the local paper. "58 year old Ernest Hatch was attacked by a coyote while taking an early morning walk on a downtown street. He later succumbed to his injuries. This is the only recorded adult person to be killed by this species."

"That sucks," commented Dean.

"Might be a case," suggested Sam. "It happened about 20 minutes from here. We should look into it. Its been a while since we've hunted something other than demons."

"What about Charleigh?" hesitated Dean.

"One of us can check out the body and talk to the police while the other takes Charleigh to the Library to do some research on similar attacks," replied Sam. Dean nodded his head. He was growing restless cooped up in the cabin and was eager to work another case.

"Let's give it a try," he agreed. They decided that Dean would impersonate the FBI so he quickly put on his suit and tie while Sam gathered Charleigh and her schoolwork. They headed into the town of the occurrence. Dean dropped Sam and Charleigh off at the local Library while he headed to the police station. Sam set Charleigh up at one of the tables with her school assignments and then he began skimming through the archived local newspapers in search of similar cases. About a half hour later, Charleigh wandered over to Sam and peered over his shoulder.

"I'm bored," she sighed in his ear. "Can I pick out a book to read for a little while?" Sam turned in his chair to face her.

"How much of your schoolwork did you complete?" he asked.

"The Math and the Social Studies," she replied.

"Ok, go ahead," he agreed. "The children's section is over there," he said pointing to an area in the corner of the Library, not too far away. "I don't want you leaving that area."

"Ok," agreed Charleigh happily as she headed over to the Children's Area. She found a few books that interested her and sat down in a black bean bag chair to read them. She read for a while and then glanced around the Library. She was bored and she could still see Sam working diligently on the other side of the Library. She looked out one of the giant windows and could see a school directly across the street. She watched as the children were outside sledding down a small hill on the side of the school. Charleigh headed back over to Sam. "Can I go sledding with the school kids across the street?" she asked hopefully.

"Sorry honey," he replied without looking up. "Not right now." Charleigh frowned and headed back over to the Children's Area disappointedly. She peered back out the window and admired all of the Christmas decorations outside. Then, someone caught her eye; she thought she saw Castiel sitting on a bench outside the Library. She looked over at Sam, and then quickly slipped out the front doors of the Library. She walked up behind Castiel.

"Hi Cas," she stated excitedly. Charleigh jumped in shock at the man when he turned around. He not only wasn't Cas, but his face was scarred and disfigured. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else," she stated anxiously.

"You have interesting energy," he stated while his eyes wandered about. Charleigh soon realized that he was blind.

"Excuse me?" questioned Charleigh.

"I sense good energy, but I also sense dark energy," he stated curiously. He stood up from the bench dangling a cane in front of him. "I'm Ulrich," he said as he extended his hand toward her.

"Charleigh," she replied as she shook his hand politely. Ulrich felt an electrical current pulsate through his body and his eyes were flooded with brightness when he took her hand. He released her quickly.

"You are different Charleigh," he commented worriedly. Charleigh took a step back away from him and watched him curiously. "I must be going," he said quickly as he turned and started walking in the opposite direction. Charleigh glanced up toward the Library doors and figured Sam would be working for a while, so she followed slowly after Ulrich. She followed him into an alleyway where many homeless people had made houses from cardboard boxes. She looked around sadly at the homeless people and tried hard not to make eye contact with them because she knew it would make her feel worse. She noticed a young Mother rocking a small baby at one of the boxes. She looked curiously at the young woman and then realized the baby was just a doll. She suddenly became flooded with different emotions and wished she had never followed Ulrich. Her curiosity got the best of her and she continued to follow Ulrich into the first floor of an old, abandoned factory building. Suddenly, Charleigh watched in horror as he transformed into a black wolf before her eyes. The wolf then turned in her direction and started sniffing the ground several yards in front of her. Charleigh froze and watched in horror as he crept closer to her.

A woman's scream then echoed through the building. The wolf transformed back into Ulrich before her eyes and Charleigh quietly stepped behind a large cement post. Ulrich hurried from the area with Charleigh slowly lurking behind him. She followed him to the second floor of the building and hid behind another cement post while Ulrich approached a woman who was leaning over a body. "He's dead!" cried the woman as she placed her hands on the face of the dead man. Ulrich squatted down and placed his hands on the body.

"I sense a violent attack and darkness," he stated.

"He has large gashes all over his body," cried the woman sadly. Charleigh became overwhelmed with fear and quickly turned and hurried back down the stairs and out of the building. She hurried through the alleyway with her eyes down shivering with fear and from the cold. She suddenly bumped into someone and looked up to find a woman peering down at her.

"What's wrong little girl?" she asked gently as she put her hands on Charleigh's shoulders and then started rubbing her head. Charleigh shook the woman's hands off and took off running. She arrived back on the main road, but forgot which way the Library was. She looked around frantically and spotted Dean's car in front of the police station. She then noticed Dean coming out of the police station holding his phone to his ear. Charleigh dashed across the road toward Dean and threw her arms around him.

"I got her, we're outside the police station," Dean stated into the phone as he closed it and looked down at Charleigh. "Where the hell were you?" he demanded angrily. Charleigh looked up at him and he could see the fear on her face. Charleigh gasped for air as she tried to respond to Dean. He took her hand and led her over to a nearby bench. "Charleigh, what happened?" he questioned with less anger in his voice as he sat down next to her. Once Charleigh was able to collect her thoughts again, she explained everything to him. By the end of the story, she was shaking again and tears fell from her eyes. Dean put his arm around her and held her gently. Charleigh leaned into him and then looked up to find Sam hurrying toward them. Charleigh thought he looked pissed. In fact, she thought he looked more than pissed if there was such a thing. She sat up and scooted closer to Dean.

"Charleigh," stated Sam angrily as he arrived in front of them. He glared down at Charleigh angrily. Charleigh glanced up at him and then quickly looked down to the ground.

"There's some things we need to talk about," stated Dean as he released Charleigh and stood up from the bench. "Stay put," Dean said sternly as he turned to look at Charleigh. Dean led Sam far enough away so Charleigh wouldn't hear them. He explained to Sam what Charleigh saw and then told him about his own findings. "It definitely wasn't a coyote attack," Dean said as he showed some photographs to Sam.

"Could it have been a wolf?" questioned Sam.

"I guess it's possible," replied Dean as an ambulance went flying passed them and down the alleyway that Charleigh came running up. "I guess they found the next victim," he commented. "Did you find anything?" he asked as he turned back to Sam.

"I couldn't find any other victims of similar attacks," replied Sam as he glared over at Charleigh at the bench. "I can't believe she wandered off, again," he sighed angrily. Dean glared over at her too. Although he was angry with her, he understood why she did what she did. His curiosity had always gotten the best of him at Charleigh's age. However, when John Winchester told him to stay put he usually stayed put and there were no 'if, ands, or buts' about it.


	36. Chapter 36

_**Thanks again for your suggestions and reviews! They are always appreciated! I'm not sure how often I will be able to update within the next few days, but I will do my best! Happy Holidays everyone!**_

"I'm going to head over and check out the crime scene," stated Dean. "Do you want to take her to get something to eat? I saw a diner a few blocks up."

"Sure," replied Sam with hesitation. They both walked back over to where Charleigh was sitting. She was fidgeting with the zipper on her coat while crossing and uncrossing her feet nervously. Dean crouched down in front of her and took a hold of her chin.

"I have work to do," he stated sternly. "And you are going to stay with Sam."

"Ugh," she huffed as she rolled her eyes. "Not the Library again."

"You are in enough trouble already young lady, so I suggest you do what you're told without the attitude," he replied sternly. "You will stay with Sam and you will not leave his sight. Do I make myself clear?" Charleigh hesitated for a moment, but knew by the look Dean was giving her that the only response he would accept was a yes.

"Yes," she replied. Dean released his grip from her chin and stood up in front of her. He turned toward Sam who was standing beside him.

"I'll meet you in front of the Library in a few hours," he stated.

"Sounds good," replied Sam as he looked down at Charleigh who still refused to make eye contact with him. Sam looked back toward Dean.

"Don't take any crap from her," stated Dean.

"I can handle her," sighed Sam. "We'll see you in a few hours." Dean then hurried off toward his Impala. Charleigh watched as Dean left and looked up to find snow beginning to fall. She thought it looked so pretty and peaceful with the Christmas decorations and the hustle and bustle of people along the city streets. Sam turned toward her and sat down beside her on the bench. They sat quietly for a few minutes until Charleigh finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry Sam," she whispered quietly as she tried to take his hand. Sam shifted his body so he was facing her. She looked up at him pleadingly. "I didn't mean to worry you," she said apologetically. "I just…..I just thought I saw Cas, and then my curiosity got the best of me." Sam was still silent and tears came to her eyes. "It was stupid Sam, I know, and I wish I could take it back." Sam reached out and took her hands which were covered by her purple, sparkly gloves.

"You continue to make the same impulsive decisions over and over again," he replied sternly. "I don't understand it Charleigh. I was right there, you could've come to me," he said, raising his voice slightly.

"I know, but you were busy," she replied quietly.

"Dean and I are never too busy to listen," he replied. "All of this could've been easily avoided."

"I know," she frowned.

"Let's go get some lunch," he said as he grabbed her hand and stood up from the bench.

"Am I still in trouble?" she asked as she stood up next to him.

"I think you can count on that," he frowned as he looked down at her.

"I figured," she replied quietly as she kicked a small lump of snow with her toe. They started to walk the few blocks toward the diner. The sidewalks were crowded with people doing their Christmas shopping. Charleigh looked around at all the Moms and Dads with their children and felt some resentment toward them. Even though she had her brothers, she always wondered what it would be like to have both parents around. They arrived outside Moe's Diner. It was shaped like a train caboose and was quaintly decorated for Christmas with a large Santa and his reindeer on the roof. They headed inside and took a seat at a small booth beside the window. "Sam, what do you think about that man I told Dean about?" Charleigh asked as they waited for their lunches to arrive.

"Well," began Sam. "Sounds like he may be a shape shifter," he replied.

"What's that?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"It's a human who can transform into an animal or vice versa," he replied.

"Oh," she replied. "Do you think he was still blind when he transformed into a wolf?" she asked.

"I don't know," replied Sam. "Possibly."

"I was standing right in front of him and he didn't attack me," she replied, thinking Ulrich may have been a good guy.

"Maybe he didn't see you or maybe he just wasn't interested in hurting you," replied Sam as their food arrived at the table. Charleigh immediately picked up her turkey sandwich and took a big bite. "I can see you're hungry," commented Sam.

"Starving," she replied while chewing her food. After they ate, they ordered a piece of apple pie to go for Dean. They then headed down to the Library which was about four blocks away. They arrived at the Library which was also decorated with beautiful Christmas decorations. Charleigh instantly spotted Ulrich walking away from the Library. "Sam, that's him," she gasped, tugging at his arm. Sam looked several feet away and also spotted the man walking away briskly with his cane. Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Take this and go directly into the Library and wait for Dean," he said quickly as he handed the cell phone to Charleigh, along with Dean's apple pie. "Call him right away if you have any problems, but he should be here any minute." Charleigh watched worriedly as Sam took off quickly toward Ulrich. It took every ounce of willpower she had to not follow him. Instead, she turned and headed up the stairs to the large Library doors. She took a seat on a bench directly inside the door and watched eagerly for Dean. About twenty minutes later she watched as the Impala roared to the curb. Charleigh immediately ran out of the door and down the steps to the car. Dean jumped out of the car as soon as he noticed Charleigh was alone. He ran toward Charleigh, meeting her at the bottom of the staircase.

"Where's Sam?" demanded Dean.

"He saw Ulrich and he went after him," gasped Charleigh worriedly. "They headed toward the old factory buildings."

"Oh no," sighed Dean as he took Charleigh's hand and rushed her to the Impala.

"Dean, what's wrong?" questioned Charleigh as she plopped into the backseat.

"Hellhounds," sighed Dean.

"Hellhounds?" questioned Charleigh worriedly.

"Yeah, they are dogs, aggressive, violent, and invisible dogs, that attack humans who have made a deal with a Crossroads demon," replied Dean. "They are targeting people who used to be homeless and suddenly became successful and wealthy individuals," he replied. "The victims must have made a deal with the Crossroads demon and now the hellhounds are here to end the contract."

"Will Sam be all right?" questioned Charleigh worriedly. "Is Ulrich a hellhound?"

"I'm not sure what Ulrich has to do with all of this," replied Dean. "But Sam could be in danger depending on if he's in the wrong place at the wrong time." Dean sped away from the curb and went in the direction of the factory buildings. They pulled up out front of an old and dilapidated building with bricks that were missing from the walls and shattered windows everywhere. Charleigh peered around at the homeless people who were all curiously watching them. "Come on Charleigh," said Dean urgently as he jumped from the car and hurried to the trunk and grabbed two of his shotguns that were filled with rock salt. Charleigh arrived beside him at the trunk. Dean turned toward her sternly. "You do exactly what I tell you to do," he stated firmly. "And don't leave my side unless I tell you to. Do you understand?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh. Dean went running into the building with Charleigh close behind. Charleigh instantly heard growling and snarling coming from the inside of the building. "Wow, it sounds like a lot of them are here," gasped Charleigh. Dean turned toward her surprisingly.

"You can hear them?" he questioned.

"Yeah," replied Charleigh apprehensively.

"Can you take us in the direction they are coming from?" he asked.

"I'll try," she replied as she slowly began walking toward an old staircase. They headed up to the third floor and Charleigh could hear the growling even clearer. "They're up here somewhere," she whispered as she turned right behind some old automation machines. Dean followed her with his gun up and ready to fire. She stopped suddenly when the noise became even closer and she knew they must be directly in front of them. "That way," she pointed.

"Crouch down and stay here until I come and get you," he stated firmly as he snuck by her. Dean appeared in the clearing and could see Sam backed up against a wall with another man while a black wolf stood in front of them growling at what he assumed were hellhounds. Charleigh peered around the corner and was shocked at what she saw. The hellhounds weren't invisible to her and she could see ten of them stalking toward Sam. She jumped up and ran to Dean. "I can see them," she gasped as she tugged on the back of Dean's suit coat. Dean spun around to her angrily. "Please let me help, I can tell you where they are," she pleaded.

"Ok," he sighed worriedly. "Point to them one by one, starting with the one that is closest to Sam," he stated. Charleigh did what Dean told her and one by one he took out the hellhounds. Charleigh ran to Sam and threw her arms around him as soon as the hellhounds were destroyed.

"I'm so glad you are safe," she gasped.

"Are you all right?" asked Dean as he appeared behind them.

"Yeah," replied Sam. "One of them got the back of my leg."

"Let me see," said Dean protectively as he went to check on Sam's leg. Meanwhile, Charleigh walked over to Ulrich who had turned back into his human form.

"Charleigh," commented Ulrich. "I could feel your energy the moment you walked into the building." He placed his hand on her head. "You saved us. Thank you." The man next to Ulrich nodded his head and reached for Charleigh's hands.

"Thank you," said the man graciously. Soon, Dean and Sam appeared behind Charleigh. Dean grabbed Charleigh's arm and pulled her away from Ulrich.

"Who are you?" demanded Dean of Ulrich.

"I am a shape shifter," replied Ulrich. "I have been protecting the homeless here for the last twenty years. I have never faced anything like these hellhounds before."

"Well, it looks like some of the homeless people here made deals with a demon and the demons sent the hellhounds for their souls," replied Dean. "The deal usually lasts 10 years and then the demons expect their payment." Dean handed a shotgun to Ulrich. "Here, take this, rock salt seems to be effective in destroying them. You may need it." Ulrich smiled at Dean.

"Thank you," he replied. "Your child is very special," he stated. "I hope she chooses wisely."

"I will," replied Charleigh, knowing exactly what he meant. "And Ulrich, you are a great person for protecting these people."

"Thank you child," he smiled. Charleigh's adrenaline was still pumping as they headed back to the Impala. She enjoyed destroying the hellhounds and she couldn't wait to do more.

"That was so cool! Can I come on more hunts with you?" she asked excitedly as she hopped into the backseat.

"No!" both Dean and Sam replied in unison as they turned to face her in the backseat.

"No fair," she pouted as she kicked the back of Dean's seat and slumped back into hers. Dean took a deep breath and counted to ten before he lost his temper with her. They drove back to the cabin in silence. Charleigh went directly to her room as soon as they arrived. She knew she was in trouble, but was hoping they would change their minds after she heroically helped Dean to destroy the hellhounds. Dean and Sam decided to let her stew for a while as they sat at the kitchen table with their beers.

"You know, someday we will have no choice but to allow her to hunt," commented Sam.

"I know," sighed Dean. "But I plan on keeping her young and innocent until then." Dean set his empty beer down on the kitchen table. "I guess I should go deal with the little heathen now," he said as he stood up from the table and headed toward Charleigh's room. A few minutes later Sam heard Dean's hand connecting with Charleigh's bottom and her cries coming from her bedroom. He felt bad for her as he was on the receiving end many times, but he knew she deserved it.


	37. Chapter 37

_**I just couldn't resist! I wanted to get this out for Christmas! Enjoy and again, Happy Holidays!**_

Dean placed a sobbing Charleigh on her feet in front of him. She turned her back to him and attempted to move away, but he gently took her arm and turned her back around to face him. "Once you get yourself together, I want you to come out to the Living Room, Sam and I would like to talk to you together," he said gently, but sternly. Charleigh nodded her head and turned away from him, and then headed for the bathroom. She closed the bathroom door behind her and locked it. She turned on the water and washed the tears from her face. She stood there for a few moments looking at her face in the mirror. "Why can't you just do what you're told?" she asked herself angrily. Charleigh was angry with herself, but she was even angrier with Sam and Dean. She felt like they didn't even care that she helped them to defeat the hellhounds. She stood there for a few moments and then finally emerged from the bathroom. She headed out into the Living Room and stood in the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest. Sam and Dean were both engrossed in a movie that was playing in the television. "I'm here," she huffed impatiently. They both looked up at her and Sam clicked off the television. "I'd like to start this conversation by telling you both that I think you are mean and unfair," she snapped rudely. Sam's eyes widened in surprise while Dean jumped up from the couch and approached her.

"Excuse me?" demanded Dean as he hovered over her.

"You heard me," she replied bravely. Dean went to grab her arm, but Sam intervened.

"Dean, wait," Sam said as he stood up from the recliner. "Let's hear what she has to say." Dean glanced over at Sam and then glared down at Charleigh who still had her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"Ok fine," he replied sternly as he continued to glare down at her. "But I expect you to be respectful young lady." Charleigh peered up at Dean. "Think you can do that?" he questioned sternly.

"Yes," she replied calmly.

"Ok," he replied as he retreated back to the couch and Sam back to the recliner. Charleigh hesitantly stepped into the room.

"I know I shouldn't have wandered off," she began. "But I helped you destroy the hellhounds and you still punished me. That wasn't fair," she frowned at Dean as tears came to her eyes again.

"Charleigh," Sam said gently as she looked over at him. "You did good today with the hellhounds and you were a great help and we appreciate it. Someday you will make a great hunter. But right now, you are only 9 years old, and you need to do what you're told."

"You continue to have to regard for what we tell you to do and you repeatedly put yourself into dangerous situations," Dean replied sternly. "That is why you were punished. End of story." Charleigh looked over at Dean and pouted. "Come here," he said as he extended his arms. Charleigh headed over to him and he sat her on his lap gently and gave her a hug. "But we will always forgive you," he said reassuringly. Charleigh hugged Dean back and then headed over to Sam and gave him a hug.

The next day, Sam and Dean decided they needed to hit some of the local bars to hustle some pool players for money. Christmas would be arriving in a day and they wanted to make sure they had a few presents for Charleigh. They had some visitors coming into town to celebrate Christmas with them and awaited their arrival so they could leave Charleigh with them.

"Dean, can I play some games on your laptop?" Charleigh asked as she entered the kitchen where they were discussing what they could get her for Christmas.

"Sure, it's right there," he replied, pointing to it on the table. Charleigh sat down and popped open the screen. "What is this?!" she gasped. "Asian babes?" Dean quickly closed the laptop.

"I was going to order some Chinese food," he lied as his face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Dude, really?" questioned Sam.

"That didn't look like Chinese food," replied Charleigh. Dean picked up his laptop and quickly escaped from the kitchen so he could close out the screen without Charleigh seeing. Just then there was a knock on the front door of the cabin. Sam peered out the window to see who it was.

"Charleigh, can you answer the door?" he asked. Charleigh ran to the door and swung it open. Bobby, Ellen, and Jo were waiting on the porch.

"Merry Christmas!" they all said in unison. Ellen reached her arms out and lifted Charleigh into a hug.

"Hi sweetie," she smiled as she set Charleigh back on her feet. Charleigh then gave Bobby and Jo a hug. They all gathered in the Living Room for a few minutes discussing their trip and the plans for the next few days.

"This is what Christmas is all about," smiled Dean as he nudged Charleigh and smiled. Charleigh smiled back. She gathered the presents they brought with them and placed them under the tree. About an hour later Sam and Dean headed out to make some money, leaving Charleigh with Ellen, Bobby, and Jo. They played some card games and ate pizza, then hung out in the Living Room just talking. As Charleigh looked over at the presents, she realized that she didn't have anything for Sam or Dean.

"What's wrong honey?" asked Ellen, noticing the disappointment on Charleigh's face.

"I don't have anything for Sam or Dean," she frowned.

"Well, we'll just have to fix that," replied Ellen. "Come on, let's go shopping." Charleigh smiled excitedly at Ellen, but then frowned again.

"I don't have any money," she replied.

"I have money," replied Ellen. "Come on." Charleigh slipped on her black converse sneakers and put on her black Columbia fleece. She headed out to the car with Ellen. They headed to a nearby mall that was overrun with shoppers. As they wondered around, Charleigh had no idea what she even looking for. She finally found a store that sold different kinds of stones. She found a stone called the **Tiger Eye** that stated it is for protection against all forms of danger. She knew right away that's what she wanted and decided on two necklaces that carried the stone in a tiger's claw. By the time they got back to the cabin it was late, but Sam and Dean still weren't back. Charleigh got ready for bed and decided that the air mattress on Sam and Dean's floor was intended for her so she crawled into the black sleeping bag that was on top of it. She heard the floor creaking a few hours later and opened her eyes to find Dean peering down at her.

"Goodnight," he said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight," she mumbled as she closed her eyes again. The next morning they all gathered around the Christmas tree first thing when everyone woke up. Ellen began distributing coffee to everyone. They decided that Charleigh should go first. First, she opened a game boy from Bobby with 2 new games. Then, she opened a new pair of blue, fleecy dog pajamas from Jo, and then she opened a sterling silver charm bracelet from Ellen that had a heart and a star dangling from it. "Thank you so much everyone," she smiled happily. It was the first time she remembered ever receiving something from anyone and it made her feel happy and loved.

"Hold on," announced Dean, holding 3 more presents. "It looks like Santa came." Charleigh smiled as Dean handed her the 3 packages. She opened the first one to find a pink cell phone. Her eyes widened with surprise. She opened the next to find a charm for her bracelet that read "little sister". The last package was a stuffed wolf. "We thought you would like a reminder of your first hunt," smiled Dean. Charleigh stood up and gave Dean a hug.

"I love them and I love you," she said happily. "Thank you so much, for everything."

"I love you too," Dean replied happily. Charleigh them headed over to Sam and gave him a hug and told him the same thing.

"I love you too kiddo," he replied. Charleigh found her gifts for Sam and Dean. They opened them and put them on right away, making Charleigh feel proud of her choice.

"Charleigh, the necklaces are really nice, but having you in our lives is even better," smiled Dean. Everyone smiled and responded in agreement with Dean. They all opened their gifts and then Ellen and Bobby cooked a big Christmas dinner for them all. Not only was it Charleigh's first Christmas, but she got to spend it with the people she considered her true family.


	38. Chapter 38

_**Hi Everyone! Just a short, transitional chapter! Enjoy and have a nice weekend! Please continue with your reviews, I love reading them!**_

"This was the best Christmas ever," Charleigh said to everyone before she headed to bed that night. "Thank you everyone," she smiled as gave everyone a quick hug and then headed to bed. Sam, Dean, Jo, Ellen, and Bobby remained in the Living room to discuss Matthew and Charleigh's Grandparents. Sam and Dean decided that they would continue to lay low at the cabin until Castiel told them otherwise. He was their eyes and ears and he would know if they were in danger.

"So, have you decided that you're going to continue to keep Charleigh with you?" questioned Bobby curiously.

"Yeah," sighed Dean concerningly. "I can't imagine our lives without her. I just worry and I know I would never forgive myself if something happens to her."

"The safest place for her to be is with you both," commented Jo. Dean and Sam nodded their heads in agreement.

"She needs you boys," said Ellen as she took a sip from the wine glass she was holding. "I've seen her change so much in just the short time she's been with you. And she loves you both so much." Both Dean and Sam smiled and then Dean raised his beer bottle for a toast.

"To Charleigh," he said as everyone raised their drinks in the air.

"To Charleigh," they all chimed in. The next afternoon, Ellen, Jo, and Bobby were all packed up and ready to head back home. They sadly said their goodbyes and Charleigh sat on the porch and watched as they drove away. She remained on the porch watching a few kids making a snowman in the distance while Sam and Dean headed inside.

"Dean, I was thinking, maybe we should send Charleigh to school," suggested Sam as he bent over and gathered several pine needles that had fallen off of the tree. "She's not in any immediate danger right now and Cas will let us know once she is. I think it would be good for her to get out and be around other kids." Dean stopped and looked at Sam contemplatively.

"I don't know," he hesitated. Although he knew it would do Charleigh good to be out of the house and with other kids, it worried him to have her out of their sights.

"She has a cell phone, she can reach us whenever she needs something," Sam continued. "And we can work nearby cases while she's at school." Sam reached down and picked up a few more pine needles on the floor. Dean looked out the window and peered at Charleigh as she watched the children down the road playing in the snow.

"Ok," agreed Dean. "Let's give it a try." Sam grinned and couldn't wait to tell Charleigh the good news. A few minutes later, she came through the front door shivering. She was dressed in her new dog pajamas and her hair fell messily onto her shoulders.

"It's freezing out," she commented as she rubbed her frigid hands together. "Is it all right if I make some hot chocolate?"

"Sure," replied Sam. "But we just want to talk to you about something first." Charleigh sat down on the couch next to Dean and looked at Sam and then at Dean worriedly. She realized that it never ended well when they wanted to have a talk with her. "Dean and I were talking and we thought we would send you to school while we are living here," stated Sam. Charleigh smiled happily. "What do you think?" asked Sam.

"I think it sounds great," Charleigh replied excitedly. The following week, after the holidays had passed, they went to Geyser Road Elementary School and completed the necessary paperwork to enroll Charleigh. Since her file was complete, they allowed Charleigh to start to school right away. Charleigh began to feel nervous and overwhelmed as they walked down the hallway to her new classroom. The hallways were empty and the students in each classroom had already started their day. She clutched onto Sam's hand nervously as Dean walked behind them. They arrived at Room 103, Ms. Hopkins' classroom. Sam knocked quietly and soon thereafter a young, beautiful teacher, in his mid twenties, opened the door. Her hair was long and blonde and her eyes were a dark blue. Dean quickly made his way in front of Sam. Sam stepped back and just shook his head at Dean. He knew his brother couldn't resist a beautiful woman.

"Hi, I'm Dean Winchester," he said politely as he extended his hand. "My sister Charleigh is supposed to start today in your class."

"Oh yes," smiled the woman. "I'm Kelly Hopkins," she replied as she shook his hand.

"I'm Sam," interjected Sam as he reached out to take her hand. Dean watched and could've sworn that Sam and Kelly had a 'moment' as they shook hands. He was surprised considering he received most of the attention when it came to women. After they shook hands, Sam released Charleigh's grip from his left hand and gently prodded her forward. "And this is Charleigh."

"Hi Charleigh," she said as she took Charleigh's hand. "Let's go meet your classmates." They followed Ms. Hopkins into the classroom. Sam and Dean looked around at all the little faces peering back at them. Dean couldn't imagine being surrounded by little people all day; he had all he could handle with Charleigh. The room was pleasantly decorated with colorful projects hanging on the walls and little centers set up throughout the room. "Class," announced Ms. Hopkins. "We have a new friend in our class; this is Charleigh Winchester."

"Hi Charleigh," they replied in unison. Charleigh smiled back awkwardly. One little boy in the back of the room raised his hand. He was small for his age with black hair that hung over his eyes

"Yes Ben?" stated Ms. Hopkins.

"Does she have two Dads?" he asked curiously. Both Dean and Sam's faces flushed red with embarrassment.

"We're her brothers," replied Dean with annoyance.

"Kind of old to be her brothers, aren't you?" asked the same boy as the rest of the class chuckled. Charleigh could already tell she wasn't going to like this boy. She glared back at him angrily.

"Ok, that's enough," replied Ms. Hopkins. "We have talked about how all families are different." She turned awkwardly toward Sam and Dean. "I'm sorry," she whispered. They both nodded their heads. "If you'd like to leave her now, I know she'll be fine," she said politely, sensing their hesitation. They both looked down at Charleigh and grinned. It worried Dean to leave her. "I'll call you if I need to," the teacher said reassuringly, sensing his hesitation.

"Thank you," he replied as they turned and headed for the door. Seconds later, Dean felt two small hands clutching onto the back of his jacket. He spun around to find Charleigh with tears in her eyes and he crouched down to give her a hug. The teacher watched sadly with curiosity, wondering why it was so difficult for them to separate. "Do you still want to do this? I can take you home if you want?" he questioned.

"I'm ok," she replied as she wiped a few tears from her face. "I'm just going to miss you both."

"Call us if you need anything," he replied gently as he released her.

"Ok, bye Dean," she frowned. Charleigh turned to find Sam and he too crouched down to give her a hug. "Bye Sam."

"Bye kiddo," he replied. "Behave and have fun."

"Ok," she replied worriedly. Although she wanted to go to school more than anything, it worried her to be away from Sam and Dean since she'd been with them nonstop for the last two months. Dean and Sam left the classroom and headed back out to their car.

"Feels weird without her," sighed Sam as he peered into the empty backseat.

"I know," replied Dean. "I can't believe I even considered letting her go and live with someone else," he commented, disappointed in himself.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Just a chapter on her school experiences! Enjoy! Please review!**_

"I don't know Sammy," said Dean hesitantly as he went to put the Impala in drive. He glanced over at the school.

"Dean, come on, she'll be fine," replied Sam reassuringly. "This will be good for her." Dean sighed and nodded his head in agreement. He put the Impala in drive and drove away from the school. "Dude, you're having a harder time with this than she is?" teased Sam.

"I know," replied Dean, laughing to himself. He would have never imagined himself caring so much for a child before he met Charleigh. Meanwhile, Ms. Hopkins assigned Charleigh to a desk at the front of the classroom next to another girl with long, kinky curly, red hair and dark, green eyes. The girl turned toward Charleigh and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Sophia," she smiled.

"Hi," replied Charleigh, happy that her nearest neighbor seemed nice. Ms. Hopkins wasted no time and divided the class into their reading groups while she had Charleigh come to her desk and read to her. She handed Charleigh a book.

"I'd like you to read this to me," she stated. Charleigh looked down at the book and frowned. There was a picture of a little girl shopping with her Mom on the cover. Charleigh gently pushed the book back toward her teacher. "What's wrong?" questioned Ms. Hopkins. "I have easier books if you think is too hard." Charleigh looked up at her teacher and wondered how much of her life she was supposed to talk about. She knew her life was complicated and a lot of people wouldn't understand what she had been through.

"It's not that," replied Charleigh. "My Mom died and…."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Ms. Hopkins apologetically, cutting her off. "Let me find another book at this level." She handed Charleigh another book and they worked their way up from there until they arrived at a reading level that would be suitable for Charleigh. "Ok," smiled Ms. Hopkins. "It looks like you will be in my A group. Come with me, I'll show you where they are." Charleigh followed her to a group of three children that were sitting in a carpeted area in the corner of the room. Charleigh looked down to see Ben and rolled her eyes in disapproval. "Charleigh, this is Ben, Laura, and Debbie," introduced Ms. Hopkins. "They can show you what they are working on." Charleigh sat down and looked uncomfortably at her group members. Laura was tall and thin with long, blonde while Debbie was short and plump with short, brown hair.

"We get the girl with two daddies," laughed Ben after their teacher walked away.

"Shut your piehole," snapped Charleigh with annoyance.

"Piehole?" he questioned, then began laughing uncontrollably.

"Just ignore him," mentioned Debbie. "He makes fun of me all the time."

"Yeah, well he's a bully," snapped Charleigh angrily as she invaded Ben's personal space and put her face close to his. "You shouldn't let him make fun of you either," she stated angrily as she pulled her face away. Charleigh turned her attention back to Ben. "If you mess with me again, I'll knock you into next year," she stated firmly. Ben instantly popped up from the floor and ran to his teacher who was reading with another group of students.

"Ms. Hopkins," he whined. "The new girl is threatening to punch me." Ms. Hopkins headed over to Charleigh's group with Ben by her side.

"Charleigh, I'd like to talk to you in the hallway for a moment," stated Ms. Hopkins gently.

"Ok," replied Charleigh as she stood up and glared at Ben. As the teacher walked toward the door and had her back to Charleigh, she waved her fist angrily at Ben and then dashed after Ms. Hopkins. They arrived in the empty hallway.

"I know Ben can be difficult to get along with," stated Ms. Hopkins. "If you have any more problems with him, please come to me first. I will not allow violence or violent in my classroom," she stated firmly, but gently. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh. Once they got back into the classroom, the teacher transitioned them into another subject. Charleigh was happy to be away from Ben. The rest of the morning went smoothly. During lunch, Charleigh took a seat next to Debbie and across from Sophia. She opened her milk and stared down at the sloppy joe meat that was supposed to be her lunch. She wondered what Sam would think of the lunch food. She felt a tap on her shoulder as she took a bite of her roll. She spun around to find Ben standing with an older boy. His features were similar to Ben's and Charleigh assumed it was his brother.

"I hear you threatened my brother," snarled the older boy. Charleigh stood up to face the boy and was surprised at how much he towered over her. He reached out and grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her closely toward him. Charleigh fought every urge to start swinging, but she just couldn't help herself. It wasn't in her nature to sit back and let someone threaten her. She lifted her knee and kneed him as hard as she could in the crotch. He gasped for air and released Charleigh and then she gave him a right hook to his face. She watched with satisfaction as he dropped to the floor holding his crotch, crying out in pain. Ben took off running for one of the lunch aides while the remainder of the 3rd graders cheered for Charleigh. She glanced around proudly at her classmates. A few lunch aides came running over to help Ben's brother from the floor.

"You're headed to the Principal's office," one of the aides stated as she took Charleigh's arm and led her from the lunch room. "Sit here," stated the small, older woman with graying, short hair as she pointed to a chair. Charleigh obeyed. The woman entered the door next to the chair and then returned a few minutes later. "Mr. Benson will see you now," she stated. Charleigh stood up and entered the office. Being in the Principal's office was nothing new to her. An older man in his late fifties sat behind the desk. He had dark hair and eyes. Charleigh looked at him curiously thinking he kind of looked like Ben and his brother. He began by asking her what her name was, grade, and teacher. He quickly called down Ms. Hopkins' classroom to let her know that he had Charleigh in his office.

"We have a no tolerance policy for violence at our school," stated Mr. Benson sternly.

"Would that be because it was your son that I was defending myself against?" she asked curiously.

"Excuse me?" he questioned angrily. "For your information, my sons are grown and even if he was my son that would be none of your business." He paused for a moment. "Now, if you please tell me what happened?" Charleigh took a seat in the chair across from his desk and peered around at the barren walls. Charleigh sighed and then started from the beginning and gave him her version. "Although it sounds like this was self defense, I think it was unnecessary for you to go to the extremes that you did," he stated firmly.

"Well, that's your opinion," Charleigh replied rudely. "But I'm not going to let anyone bully me and if he touches me again, I'll do the same thing."

"We'll see what your parents have to say about that," he replied as he adjusted his glasses.

"I don't have parents," she snapped back. He looked quickly through her file that sat on his desk and shook his head.

"Well, this explains a lot," sighed Mr. Benson, suddenly feeling bad for her.

"What does?" demanded Charleigh angrily as she stood up from her chair to take a look.

"Sit down Ms. Winchester," he demanded. Charleigh rolled her eyes and sat back down in her chair.

"Your parents are both deceased and you live with your brothers. You poor child. No wonder you are acting out," he stated. Charleigh could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She stood up from her chair and then took off toward the door. She ran down the hallway and found a door that read janitor's closet. She flung open the door and went inside, locking the door behind her. Meanwhile, Mr. Benson called Dean and then found a few school personnel to help him look for Charleigh. Dean and Sam hurried over to the school and Dean was able to activate the GPS on Charleigh's phone to find where she was hiding. They arrived at the janitor's closet and knocked gently on the door.

"Charleigh, it's us," said Dean gently. Charleigh crept over to the door and unlocked it. Both Sam and Dean entered, closing the door behind them. Charleigh went back and sat on the floor between two wall shelves that held cleaning supplies. They took a seat on each side of her. "So what happened?" asked Dean as he put his arm around her.

"I hate it here, I want to go back to my old school," she pouted.

"That's a little too far to drive every day," joked Dean.

"Charleigh, why did you lock yourself in the closet?" asked Sam.

"Everyone keeps reminding me about my parents being dead," she sighed. "I don't want to have to keep explaining myself and I don't need their sympathy."

"Charleigh, sometimes people care about you are going through and want to help you," stated Sam. "It's not a bad thing to let others have sympathy for you."

"Ok," frowned Charleigh. "Did they tell you what else happened?" she asked as she peered up at Dean worriedly.

"No and something tells me that I'm not going to like it," he replied. "Spill it," he stated sternly. Charleigh explained her story once again to Sam and Dean. "Well," stated Dean, once she was finished. "It sounds like you were just defending yourself." Charleigh looked up at him with relief. She thought for sure he would've been angry with her. "Come on, I'm sure the Principal would like to speak with us." They headed back down the hallway and to the Mr. Benson's office. Sam and Dean introduced themselves.

"I'm not sure if Charleigh told you, but she was involved in an altercation today," stated Mr. Benson.

"She did," replied Dean. "And it sounds like it was self defense."

"We strongly encourage our students to resolve their differences in a nonviolent manner," replied Mr. Benson.

"We agree," replied Sam. "But it sounds like Charleigh didn't have a choice in this circumstance."

"Yes, and that is why we won't be pursuing punishment for her actions," replied Mr. Benson understandingly. "However, your sister is very rude and disrespectful," he stated firmly as he looked down at Charleigh. Both Sam and Dean glared down at her. "And for that, she will have detention for two days after school," he stated firmly.

"Well, that's fine," snapped Charleigh angrily. "Because I won't be coming back to your stupid school!"

"Charleigh, that's enough," warned Dean.

"Mr. Benson, we apologize for her behavior today and she will be returning to school tomorrow. We appreciate your patience with her," said Sam apologetically. "Thank you."

"Let's go Charleigh," Dean ordered firmly as he glared down at Charleigh. Knowing Dean was beyond pissed; Charleigh hurried away from him and grabbed Sam's hand. They headed outside and climbed into the Impala.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Here's another one! It's 2 for 1 Sunday! Enjoy and please review! Thanks again, so much!**_

"Dammit," mumbled Dean to himself as he drove away from the school. "I knew this was a bad idea." Charleigh looked up at Dean in his rearview mirror, but for once, he wasn't glaring back at her. Charleigh took that as a sign that maybe he wasn't as angry as she thought he was.

"Dean, she's fine," sighed Sam as he glanced over at him. Dean was focused on the road ahead and didn't acknowledge Sam's comment. "Dude, come on, are you mad at me for this?" questioned Sam with annoyance.

"No," Dean finally replied. He looked back at Charleigh in the backseat through his rearview mirror, but her eyes were focused on the cars outside her window. "I was so worried about sending her and look what happened," he replied as he looked over at Sam.

"Dean, she's 9 and she's 'Charleigh', so we should expect her to get into some trouble every now and then," Sam responded positively.

"On the first day?" huffed Dean.

"Well, look on the bright side, now she'll have it out of her system," Sam grinned. "Besides, it sounds like she set those bullies straight."

"That's our girl," replied Dean proudly. He was happy that Charleigh had the gumption to stand up for herself which was definitely a Winchester trait. Charleigh smiled from the backseat when she heard Dean's comment.

"So does that mean you're not mad at me?" she asked quietly from the backseat. Dean sighed and quickly gathered his thoughts.

"We would never be angry at you for standing up for yourself," Dean replied calmly as he made eye contact with her through the rearview mirror. "But I'm not so keen on the fact that you were rude and disrespectful to the Principal."

"I could've been a lot worse," Charleigh mumbled to herself, but loud enough for the boys to hear her. Sam turned in his seat to look at her. "I wasn't even that disrespectful,' she sighed pleadingly to Sam. "He was just too sensitive."

"What do you think Sammy? What would a suitable punishment be?" asked Dean. Sam turned back around to face Dean and thought for a few minutes.

"How about a 1000 word essay for the Principal on what it means to be respectful?" questioned Sam. "She can turn it in tomorrow with a verbal apology."

"I like it," replied Dean as he looked back at Charleigh in the rearview mirror. "You can get started as soon as we get back to the cabin," he stated firmly.

"Ugh," groaned Charleigh. "1000 words?"

"Essay or a trip over my knee?" questioned Dean sternly from the front seat. "You decide."

"Ok, ok, the essay," she huffed as her face flushed red with embarrassment. She always hated it when Dean threatened her with a spanking. Seconds later they arrived at the cabin and Charleigh stomped into the kitchen and sat down at the table to complete her assignment. She started to gather her thoughts on what it meant to be respectful, but she didn't know how to describe it. In fact, she began to wonder if she even knew what being respectful meant. Sam entered the kitchen a few minutes later to grab a drink from the refrigerator. He noticed Charleigh struggling with her assignment.

"How's it going?" he asked as he looked down at the empty page in her notebook.

"Awful," she huffed as she peered up at him. "I guess I don't know what it means to be respectful."

"Hold on a sec," said Sam as he left the kitchen and returned with his laptop. He set the laptop up in front of her. "Here, you can google it," he suggested. "I'm sure you will find lots of useful information."

"Thanks," replied Charleigh as she typed the word respectful into the google search box. A lot of different information appeared in front of her and she started reading right away. About 3 hours later, she was finally finished with her essay. She proudly carried it out to the Living Room to where Sam and Dean were watching Ellen. "I'm done," she said as she handed the paper to Sam who was lying on the couch with his feet dangling over the end of it. She squished in next to Sam's legs and sat down, waiting as he read it over.

"Wow, great job Charleigh," he grinned approvingly. "Did you learn from it?"

"Yes," she replied. "Respectful means a lot of different things that I didn't even know." She glanced over at Dean who was sound asleep in the recliner and then back at Sam. "I'm hungry," she mentioned after her stomach growled loudly. "The school lunch was disgusting and I didn't have a chance to each my roll."

"Let's go see what we can find," replied Sam as he pulled himself up from the couch and led her into the kitchen. The next morning, Sam walked Charleigh into school and supervised her as she gave the essay to Mr. Benson. Mr. Benson smiled approvingly at the end.

"Wow," he replied. "That was a great idea for a punishment and it sounds like she took it quite seriously. "What great parenting," commented Mr. Benson happily. "You boys should be proud."

"Thanks," replied Sam. "She really is a good kid once you get through the hard exterior. Let us know if there are any more problems." The remainder of the week went smoothly for Charleigh and she wasn't threatened by Ben or his brother again. In fact, many of her classmates wanted to be her friend because she was 'so brave'. Charleigh was enjoying school again and was happy to attend every day. On Friday, after Dean picked Charleigh up from school, there was a call on his cell phone.

"Hi Ellen," said Dean as he pulled his car over to the side of the road so he could talk to her.

"Hi Dean," she said from the other end. "I wouldn't ask you for help unless I really needed it," she sighed from the other end. "But Jo went out on a hunt and I haven't been able to reach her for 4 days. I'm really worried Dean." Dean could sense the desperation in Ellen's voice.

"Do you know where she went?" asked Dean.

"Tilton, NH," replied Ellen. "I can come and stay with Charleigh," she offered.

"New Hampshire's not too far from here," replied Dean as he looked back at Charleigh in the backseat. "We'll research it to see what she was hunting. Depending on what it is, we can probably just take Charleigh with us. I'm on the road now, but I'll call you back shortly once I get back to the cabin."

"Thank you so much Dean," replied Ellen graciously.

"Talk to you soon," he replied as he hung up the phone. Dean arrived back at the cabin and they quickly began researching the area. They found stories of three, young woman who disappeared from the nearby area of Tilton, NH. All three women were in their twenties and had blond hair. Two of the women turned up weeks later on the porch of the Tilton Inn. They were dead and their bodies were badly burned. "Well, I guess we know where to look," stated Dean.

"Are you taking me with you?" asked Charleigh hopefully as she entered the kitchen where they were working.

"Well, we don't really have a choice," replied Dean. Charleigh began jumping up and down with excitement. "Go get packed up," he sighed. "Hopefully we'll have you back for school on Monday." Charleigh excitedly ran into her room and pulled out her duffel bag and threw some clothes into it. Meanwhile, Sam called Ellen back to let her know they were headed out to look for Jo. Ellen, too, was about to head out for NH, but it would take her a lot longer to get there. They were all packed up and out of the house within about ten minutes.

"This will be my second hunt," announced Charleigh happily from the backseat.

"You will do exactly what you're told to do," Dean stated sternly from the front seat.

"Yes, Dean," she replied from the backseat. "I hope they are hellhounds again," she rambled on. "Or vampires would be cool too. Hmmmm…or werewolves."

"Charleigh," sighed Dean from the front seat as Sam laughed at her excitement. "Even if it is one of those creatures, you won't be seeing any action because we'll have you someplace safe."

"Darn," sighed Charleigh disappointedly.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Enjoy! Thoughts, opinions, and reviews are always welcome!**_

They arrived in the downtown historic area of Tilton, NH. It was a quaint New England town with small shops lining the main street that ran through the downtown area. They found a motel about a ½ mile from the Tilton Inn; the place where the missing girls were later found. They pulled into the parking lot of the Lakeside Inn. Dean and Charleigh waited in the car while Sam went into the office to get a room. Sam came back out to the car with the room key and then they headed into their room. "This place stinks," commented Charleigh as she placed her duffel bag on one of the beds. "And it looks like shit."

"Mouth," warned Dean as he threw Charleigh a stern look.

"Oooops, sorry," replied Charleigh. She climbed onto one of the beds and flicked on the television with a remote that sat on the nightstand. Dean and Sam both took a seat at the small, round table that looked like it was from the 1800's and immediately went to work on their laptops. They discussed their plan quickly and then both changed into their suits.

"Charleigh, you're with me while Sam goes to the police station," stated Dean as he came out of the bathroom adjusting his tie. Charleigh jumped up from the couch and followed Dean quickly to the door. "We're going to head over to the Tilton Inn," Dean explained as they started walking down the street. Charleigh had to jog in order to keep up with Dean's quick pace. "I saw some rocking chairs on the front porch when we drove by," he said. "I want you to stay there while I go inside. Do you have your cell phone?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh, slightly disappointed that she was being left out.

"I'm trusting you will do as your told," commented Dean in a stern voice.

"I know," she replied quietly. "But I wish I could help you." They arrived at the bottom of the steps of the Tilton Inn. The large inn was situated in the center of Main Street with a large wraparound porch. It was an older structure, built in the 1800's, and had a lot of charm and character. Charleigh followed behind Dean up the front steps.

"I need you to stay here," he stated as he pointed to a rocking chair that sat in front of a large picture window. "I'll be out shortly and call me if you need anything," he said as he glanced at his phone to make sure he had service. "Can I trust you?" he questioned before he headed inside.

"Yes," she replied as she wandered over to the rocking chair and sat down. Dean headed inside to interview the staff of the inn. Charleigh sat patiently on the porch and watched curiously as people walked by. She wondered if any of them had seen Jo and wished she had a picture that she could show them. She watched as an older, plump woman with gray hair that was pulled back in a bun hobbled by with a cane. Suddenly, the woman stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned toward Charleigh.

"You!" she growled as she lifted her cane and pointed it at Charleigh.

"Me?" questioned a stunned Charleigh as she pointed to herself.

"You are not welcome here!" she yelled. Charleigh quickly became uncomfortable and wished that Dean would hurry. A man came hurrying from the inn and walked down the stairs to the old woman. He was an older man in his late sixties with a balding head and a very small frame for a man.

"It's ok Mrs. Davies," said the man reassuringly. "She's just a child. You can go on your way now."

"She has evil energy," the woman huffed and then continued walking. The man stood and watched her walk away and then turned to Charleigh.

"I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "She has Alzheimer's and can be quite nasty sometimes."

"That's ok," replied Charleigh, still shaken up by the woman's words.

"Are you with someone?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, my brother will be right back," she replied nervously as she pulled her cell phone out of her jeans pocket.

"Ok, come inside if you need anything," he replied kindly.

"Thanks," she replied as she fidgeted with her phone. Charleigh looked through the picture window and could see Dean talking with a few people who were behind the counter. He turned to her quickly and nodded his head. Charleigh felt better knowing she could just knock on the window if she needed him. She looked out into the distance and began watching the people wander about again. Across the street and several buildings down, she saw a woman with long, blonde hair talking on her cell phone. Charleigh couldn't get a great view of her, but she thought she looked a lot like Jo, right down to the black, leather jacket she was wearing. She watched as a large man came up from behind her and put his arm around her. Charleigh peered back into the window and could no longer see Dean. She quickly tried to text him, but there was no response. She looked back up the street to find the girl who looked like Jo still there. She began to fidget anxiously, wondering what she should do. She knew Dean gave her explicit orders to stay put, but she knew she had to see for herself if it was Jo. She quickly texted Dean again and let him know where she was going and then dashed across the street and hurried along the sidewalk, weaving in and out of people.

"Jo?!" she called as she appeared behind the woman. There was no response from the woman so Charleigh walked to the front of her and to her surprise, it WAS Jo. "Jo?" she questioned as she made eye contact with her. Jo shook her head at Charleigh and then the large man appeared beside her. He looked like a body builder with huge muscles and short brown hair that was spiky the top of his head.

"Linda, do you know this kid?" he asked as he glared down at Charleigh.

"No," replied Jo. "We should get going." Charleigh watched with confusion as Jo hurried in the opposite direction with the man. She knew something was wrong and couldn't wait to get back to Dean.

"You again!" yelled a voice from behind Charleigh. She spun around to find the old woman again and she was holding her cane a few inches from Charleigh's face. "Who are you?" demanded the woman as she grabbed Charleigh's arm roughly and squeezed it with her nails.

"Ow," snapped Charleigh. "You're hurting me." The woman pulled Charleigh closer to her. Charleigh was taken aback by the smell of her breath and cringed in disgust. She tried to yank the woman's grip from her arm, but she was extremely strong for an old woman. Charleigh was tempted to push the old woman, but was worried she would hurt her.

"Take your hands off of her," she heard Dean's stern voice from behind. The old woman released her and glared up at Dean.

"She's evil," growled the old woman.

"Stop saying that!" demanded Charleigh angrily. "I'm not evil!"

"Evil," huffed the old woman as she hobbled passed them.

"Are you ok?" asked Dean. Charleigh turned to face him and studied his face to determine how angry he was with her.

"Yeah, but why does that old woman keep saying I'm evil?" she questioned worriedly. He took her arm gently and led her over to a nearby bench.

"Sit down," he ordered. Charleigh sat down and he took a seat beside her.

"Don't worry about her, probably just some crazy old woman," he commented. Charleigh wasn't sure about that. She felt like the woman kept targeting her. "You said in your text that you thought you saw Jo?" questioned Dean.

"I did," gasped Charleigh. "It was her Dean, but she was a huge man and he called her Linda. She pretended that she didn't even know who I was or maybe she really didn't know who I was; I don't know."

"Which way did they go?" Dean asked urgently as he jumped up from the bench.

"That way," replied Charleigh as she pointed west.

"Come on," gasped Dean as he took her hand and hurried up the sidewalk with her. They walked briskly for about a mile but there was no sight of Jo. "Let's meet Sam back at the motel and see what he found out and we'll look for Jo together," Dean said disappointedly when they hadn't found Jo.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Hi All! Thanks again for reading! I just wanted to let you know that I try to reply to your reviews under the review section. I read all of your reviews and LOVE to read them. They keep me motivated! I am enjoying writing this story so much! **_

They convened back at the motel room with Sam. They sent Charleigh out to the patio of their motel room with her Kindle so they could discuss the case without her present. They left the curtain open so they could supervise her at the same time. "Please talk quickly," she pleaded as they began closing the door. "It's freezing out here."

"Just give us 5 minutes," Dean replied.

Sam explained to Dean that the victims weren't actually burned according to the police reports. He said that their skin appeared to be burned in spots; however, the victims were poisoned by unknown venom that resembled a spider's venom, but it was nothing they had ever seen before. He also explained that according to the reports, the victims had multiple burns across their entire bodies that looked like small rope burns, as if their bodies were entwined in something. Dean told Sam about his interview with the hotel employees and they stated that they had seen all three women approximately two days before they had disappeared at the restaurant at the Inn. They were all seen with the same unfamiliar man; a big muscular man with brown hair. This led Dean to tell Sam about what Charleigh had seen earlier that day.

"We have to find this man soon," sighed Sam worriedly. "Sounds like Jo may be in immediate danger."

"One of us can head out and start interviewing some of the locals and storeowners to see if they know a man that matches the description," mentioned Dean as he looked toward the sliding glass door to check on Charleigh. "Son of a bitch!" he shouted as he jumped up from his chair and dashed for the sliding glass door with Sam close behind. He slid open the door and Charleigh was nowhere to be found; her Kindle was smashed on the patio floor. Dean quickly tried to check her GPS, but she had left her phone on the motel room bed.

"I just checked on her a minute ago," gasped Sam. "Dean look," he sighed worriedly as a spot of blood on the cement patio caught his eye. He bent down and touched the blood only to realize it was fresh blood.

"Oh no," sighed Dean as he took off and frantically began searching everywhere for Charleigh. Sam began searching in the opposite direction. About an hour later, Dean collapsed onto a bench on the edge of town and looked up toward the sky. "Cas, you got your ears on? Listen, you know I am not one for praying, 'cause in my book it's... it's the same as begging. But this is about Charleigh, so I need you to hear me. She's missing and I'm afraid something terrible is going to happen to her. So, for all that we've been through, I'm asking you... you keep a lookout for my little sister, okay?" Dean paused for a moment. "Where the hell are you, man?"

"I'm here Dean," stated Cas's voice from behind.

"Thank God," sighed Dean as he jumped up and gave Cas a quick hug. "Charleigh's missing and we have no clue where she is."

"I will help you look for her," replied Cas.

"Thanks man," replied Dean as his cell phone began ringing. He looked at his phone to find Sam's name on the screen.

"Any luck?" asked Dean as he opened his phone.

"No, but a third body was discovered behind the Inn," Sam said worriedly. "I'm headed over there now." Dean instantly suspected the worse and took off running toward the Inn. Castiel disappeared and then moments later reappeared in front of Dean.

"It's not her Dean," he stated calmly.

"Is it Jo?" demanded Dean.

"No," replied Castiel. Dean stopped in his tracks and covered his face with his hands. Every part of him wanted to break down, but he knew he had to hold it together for Charleigh and Jo. "I am going to go look for her," Castiel stated, and then disappeared. Dean continued over to the Inn to find Sam. He went around to the back of the Inn to find Sam standing behind the roped off area.

"It's not her," commented Dean. "Castiel already checked. He is out looking for her now." Sam turned toward Dean worriedly. "I know man," sighed Dean as he looked back at Sam.

"Evil, evil, evil," said a voice from behind them. Dean spun around to find the little old lady who had been tormenting Charleigh.

"Do you know where she is?" demanded Dean as he approached her.

"He has her," hissed the old woman.

"Who?" demanded Dean as he placed his hands roughly on her shoulders.

"The man that has the white eyes with the large sky blue irises and black pupils," the woman hissed angrily. "She's going to get what she deserves."

"Where are they?" demanded Dean.

"He takes them down to the lake; it's cold, damp, and dark there, I can feel it," she replied and then quickly hobbled away.

"Now it makes sense," Sam stated. "We're looking for an Arachne. The rope burns were from a web and the venom was that of a spider."

"Let's get to the lake," Dean said urgently as he turned to the nearest local person and asked where the closest lake was. The local told him that it was called Lake Winnisquam. Sam and Dean hurried back to their motel and packed their duffel bags with supplies. As they were headed out, they found Ellen pulling into the motel parking lot. They quickly brought her up to speed and she headed off with them. Castiel appeared suddenly in the backseat as they were driving off.

"I was unable to find her," he stated sullenly. A sickening feeling filled Dean and he knew they had to find Charleigh and Jo soon.


	43. Chapter 43

_**Happy New Year! Enjoy and review please! I hope it doesn't seem rushed, I had so many ideas swirling around in my head!**_

"Cas, we think they are by the lake somewhere," stated Sam as he turned in his seat to face him. "Someplace cold, dark, and damp, like maybe a cave. Can you see if you can find anything like that?" Cas nodded his head and disappeared. Everyone was quiet as they sped down the highway toward the lake. Cas reappeared a few minutes later, startling Ellen in the backseat.

"I think I have found them," he stated. "But I cannot get in; the cave is protected against angels, as well as other creatures. Take the next left and go to the end of the dirt road. It is about a two mile hike from there." Dean turned sharply at the next corner and sped down the narrow, tree lined dirt road doing about 80 miles per hour. He put the brakes on abruptly at the end of the road sending the Impala into a sliding stop. They all jumped out quickly and grabbed their supplies from the back of the Impala. Dean reached in for one last thing and pulled out a can of spray paint so they could deface the Enochian sigils in order to get Cas in. They followed Cas quickly and quietly through the dark woods. The full moon above gave them some light. "I think they are in there," stated Cas as they arrived outside a small opening into the side of a mountain of limestone.

"Ellen," stated Dean as he handed her a flashlight and spray paint. "Can you walk through with Cas and deface the sigils one by one until Cas is cleared to go in?"

"Of course," replied Ellen as she accepted them from Dean.

"I can show you where they are," Cas stated. They all headed toward the entrance. Before entering, both Sam and Dean pulled a sword from their bags since beheading was the only effective way to destroy an Arachne. They entered the darkness bravely and expeditiously with their flashlights showing the way. They walked through the cave for a while until they heard noises coming from several feet ahead. Dean peered around the corner to find both Jo and Charleigh bound tightly from head to toe in spider webs with only their mouths and the tops of their heads showing. Dean stepped back and made room for Sam to take a look.

"You head for Jo and I'll head for Charleigh," whispered Dean. "Once they are free, we run." Sam nodded his head in agreement and they crept inside the small area where Jo and Charleigh were being held. They both cut the webs quickly and freed them both simultaneously. Charleigh instantly threw his arms around Dean and clutched onto him tightly. He picked her up and stood up; then he looked over at Sam who trying to wake Jo.

"Something's wrong," sighed Sam, as he turned and glanced at Dean.

"It bit us," frowned Charleigh as she pushed back her hair to show Dean the bite mark on her neck. "Jo went to sleep right away, but nothing happened to me." Suddenly, Dean was grabbed from behind, dropping Charleigh from his arms. Charleigh tumbled to the ground and looked up to find the Arachne holding Dean tightly from behind. She recognized him as the man Jo was with, but his eyes and face had changed. Sam grabbed his sword and dashed toward Dean and the Arachne.

"Charleigh, run!" he shouted.

"No!" she cried. "I won't leave you and Dean!" Sam watched in horror as the monster bit Dean in the neck and dropped him to the ground. "No!" cried Charleigh as she ran over to Dean's motionless body. "Dean!" she cried as she leaned over top of him. "Please don't leave me!" Charleigh began sobbing hysterically. "Dean, please, I need you," she sobbed as she placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Charleigh, get out of here!" yelled Sam again as he went to swing at the Arachne only to have the sword swept from his hands. Charleigh turned and watched in horror as the monster grabbed Sam and bit him. He dropped Sam's body to the ground and turned and glared at Charleigh.

"Sam!" she cried. "No!" She reached quickly for the sword that was next to Sam's body and picked it up. "You son of a bitch!" she yelled as ran toward the monster forcefully. The Arachne put his arms out to stop her, but she stuck the sword deep into his stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground. She looked frantically from Dean, to Sam, and then to Jo. Their bodies were motionless and lifeless on the ground. She felt as his her old world had just come crashing down and she couldn't control her emotions any longer. She quickly picked up a flashlight from the ground and turned and ran as fast as she could toward the direction that Sam and Dean came. Tears were pouring from her eyes and she felt as if nothing mattered anymore. She fell repeatedly getting scraped up with each fall. She went running passed Ellen and Cas. Everything was a blur to her and she barely noticed they were there.

"Charleigh!" called out Ellen. Charleigh didn't answer and kept on running. "Cas, we need to hurry," gasped Ellen. "Something's not right." Charleigh made her way to the end of the cave. Her body was bruised and battered and the tears wouldn't stop falling from her eyes. She stopped for a moment and looked back at the cave entrance.

"Bye Sam, bye Dean," she choked. "I love you." She then took off running into the darkness of the woods. She couldn't believe they were dead and now she was all alone. She started to think that becoming a Dark Lighter was really supposed to be her destiny.


	44. Chapter 44

_**Had some free time this morning so I did a little updating! Enjoy! Please review! Thanks again, you guys are the best!**_

Charleigh had stopped running and began to wander aimlessly through the woods. It was dark and cold. Her tears had finally left, leaving her with anger and confusion. She sat down in a small clearing and looked up at the full moon. She remembered seeing a full moon the night her Mother was murdered as well, but the pain she was feeling now was far more overwhelming than the pain she felt when her Mother died. She thought about how her Mother had died because of her and now Sam and Dean. It was all too much to bear. She heard cars zooming by from a distance and headed in that direction. Soon she saw headlights and crawled up a cliff that was alongside the road. Once she made it to the top, cars were zooming by her on the highway. She thought about what Sam and Dean had told her about hitchhiking and tears came to her eyes. She smiled briefly thinking back to how much they cared about her safety and about her. Even though she knew it was wrong and dangerous, she threw out her arm and thumb to hitch a ride. A green Ford pickup pulled up beside her. She wandered over to the passenger side door and flung it open. A heavy man, in his thirties with a shaved head and bushy, black eyebrows peered down at her.

"Hey kid," he said. "Where ya headed?"

"Anywhere," sighed Charleigh.

"I'm headed to the next town over," he replied.

"That's fine," she mumbled as she climbed in.

"You look horrible kid," he commented as she sat beside him and buckled her seatbelt.

'It's been a rough night," she replied. They sat silently for a while and Charleigh could feel the man repeatedly looking over and staring at her. "Do you have a problem?" she finally asked rudely as she shifted closely to the passenger door.

"No, just wondering what a little girl is doing wandering alone at night in the middle of nowhere?" he questioned.

"I ran away," she sighed. "Do you have internet on your phone?"

"It's spotty out here, but I might be able to look up something once we get closer to town," he replied.

"Ok," replied Charleigh. A few minutes later she watched as the man's hand crept closer to her and then it landed on her thigh. "Please don't touch me," she snapped as she pushed his hand off. His hand reached her thigh again and Charleigh became highly uncomfortable. "Mister, I said not to touch me!" she demanded angrily. He didn't acknowledge her request and began to rub her thigh.

Charleigh noticed an ice scraper on the floor and quickly reached for it and swung it at him. He put up his hand that was on the steering wheel to stop it and swerved uncontrollably off the road. Charleigh glanced up to find that they were headed directly toward a huge pine tree and then they made contact and everything went dark. Charleigh opened her eyes periodically while going in and out of consciousness. She saw bright lights and heard sirens, and then she saw Dr.'s peering down at her, and then she felt an oxygen mask placed onto her mouth. Everything was a blur to her and she couldn't process what was going on. She woke up later on to find herself in a hospital room. She was dressed in a hospital gown and her wounds were cleaned and bandaged up.

"Hi sweetie," said a woman's voice. Charleigh looked up to find a nurse staring down at her holding a clipboard. She was dressed in Mickey Mouse scrubs and he brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Hi," frowned Charleigh.

"You're in the hospital," she mentioned. "Do you remember anything that happened?" she asked. Charleigh thought back and remembered everything but shook her head no. She didn't feel like explaining anything to anyone.

"Was that your Dad in the truck with you?" she asked.

"No, I don't know who he was," she replied.

"What's your name honey?" she asked.

"Charleigh Winchester," she replied as tears filled her eyes. The nurse jotted down her name on the clipboard.

"Is there someone we can call for you?" she asked kindly. Charleigh thought about Bobby or Ellen, but then she thought about her Grandparents. She didn't want to put Bobby or Ellen in danger. She knew they would feel obligated to take care of her, but she knew it wouldn't be fair to them. She hesitated with her response. She knew the easiest response would be her Grandparents and then she could move on with her life without putting anyone else in danger.

"My Grandparents, Constance and Frank Baxter," she replied quickly as a sickening feeling filled her stomach. The moment she said it, she regretted it. The nurse jotted down her response.

"We will see if we can find them for you," she replied gently. "You can be discharged in 24 hours. Your injuries were minimal, but we just want to monitor you until tomorrow to make sure." Charleigh slept most of the day and into the evening. She opened her eyes to find the little, old woman from the town Tilton staring down at her.

"What are you doing here?" asked a startled Charleigh.

"I knew you would choose evil," hissed the woman. "Evil, evil, evil."

"I'm not!" cried Charleigh as she sat up abruptly in the bed. The old woman turned abruptly and hobbled from the room. Charleigh's anxiety grew. She began to question everything.

"You were very difficult to find," said a voice from the other side of the room. Charleigh turned quickly to find Castiel.

"Cas," sighed Charleigh with mixed emotions.

"Are you all right?" he asked as he approached her bed.

"Yeah," she replied sadly. "My Grandparents are on their way to get me," she mentioned.

"Actually, it is your Uncle who is on the way," responded Castiel. Charleigh was overcome with fear as she thought back to her vision of her Uncle killing Castiel.

"Cas, you need to leave," she pleaded. "He will kill you!"

"I need to get you out of here first," replied Castiel.

"No, I am staying," Charleigh responded stubbornly.


	45. Chapter 45

_**Thanks again! Have a nice night! Please review!**_

Cas reached for Charleigh and wrapped the hospital blanket around her and lifted her from the bed, with his arm under her neck and shoulders and his other arm under her knees. "What are you doing?" she demanded as she struggled to free herself.

"Dean said I should carry you out if you refuse to come with me," he stated as he started walking briskly from her hospital room.

"Dean?!" she questioned with surprise.

"Yes, they are on their way here now," he replied as he glanced down at her.

"No, you're lying," she replied angrily as she hit his chest with her fist. "I saw them die! Why are you lying to me?!" she demanded.

"I was able to heal them," Cas replied. Tears came to her eyes. "I was able to heal Jo too."

"They're really alive?" she questioned again.

"Yes," replied Cas. Charleigh began sobbing; she was feeling so many different emotions all at once and was overwhlemed. Cas continued to hurry through the hospital with her in his arms and finally made it to the back door. He opened the door to a dark, empty alleyway. They waited in silence; the only noise was Charleigh's sniffles as she continued to cry in Cas's arms. Cas stood with her awkwardly; having no idea how to comfort her. A few minutes later, the Impala came roaring through the dark, narrow alley. Within seconds, Dean and Sam were jumping from the car and ran toward Cas and Charleigh. Dean quickly took Charleigh from Cas's arms and held her tightly without saying a word. Charleigh curled up in his arms and rested her head against his chest.

"Are you ok?" he finally asked with tears in his eyes as he looked down at her in his arms.

"I am now," she replied as she smiled up at him. Dean grinned and then gently kissed her forehead. He then gently handed her over to Sam.

"Hey kiddo," smiled Sam. Ellen and Jo appeared on each side of Sam.

"Hi Sam," she replied. "Hi Ellen, Hi Jo." They smiled in return as Ellen rubbed her head gently.

"Can you drive?" asked Dean as he handed Ellen his keys. "I'd like to sit in back with Charleigh while we head back to get your car from the motel."

"Of course," replied Ellen. "I'm honored that you trust me with your baby."

"Cas, how long do we have before Matthew gets here?" asked Sam as he carried Charleigh over to the backseat of the Impala and gently set her down in the middle. Charleigh reached on both sides of her and buckled her seatbelt.

"You have time, he's still about 8 hours out," replied Cas. "I will meet you at the cabin later tonight. First, I want to go back into the hospital and destroy Charleigh's file," he stated as he disappeared. Dean and Sam climbed into the backseat of the Impala on each side of Charleigh, while Ellen climbed into the driver's side and Jo took shotgun. Ellen pulled out of the alleyway and continued to the highway.

"So what happened to you?" asked Dean concerningly as he put his arm around her. Charleigh thought back to the last 24 hours and was disappointed in the choices she had made; she knew she had made selfish choices because she was distraught and weak. She hesitated with her response and grabbed Dean's hand.

"Do I have to tell you right now?" she questioned sadly as she peered up at him. "You and Sam are going to be so disappointed in me and I just don't think I can handle that right now."

"We can talk later," he replied gently. "We're just happy you're safe."

"I'm glad you both are safe too," she stated as she grabbed Sam's hand with her other hand. "I'm so thankful that I have you both and never want to lose you again."

"We'll try not to die again," joked Dean. "And we don't ever want to lose you again," he said on a more serious note. Charleigh looked up at him and smiled.

"Jo?" questioned Charleigh. "Why did you pretend that you didn't know me?" Jo turned in the front seat to face Charleigh.

"I'm sorry about that. I was trying to go undercover," she replied. "I had a feeling he was the Arachne and I wanted to see if he would lead me to the victims, but he quickly turned me into one of the victims. I made some careless mistakes. Thankfully, Sam and Dean came to my rescue."

"Yeah, they're my heroes," sighed Charleigh as she glanced from Sam to Dean. They arrived back at the motel and headed back into their room to gather their belongings. Charleigh was relieved to be able to change out of the hospital gown and put on some normal clothes. Only thing was, she was missing her sneakers, so they would have to stop to get her new ones. They quickly checked out and headed back to the car. They said their good byes to Ellen and Jo. As Charleigh was about to open the car door, she noticed the old woman standing across the street. "Can I go talk to her?" she asked as Sam opened the back door for her. Sam looked hesitantly over at the old woman. "Please Sam, she showed up at the hospital and I just want to know what she is."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Dean interrupted as he appeared next to her; he was worried that the old woman would say something to upset her even more.

"I need to talk to her," Charleigh said forcefully as she started to walk away from them.

"I said no," Dean stated sternly as he grabbed her arm gently. Charleigh spun around angrily toward him.

"She acts like she knows things about me," Charleigh snapped angrily. "I have a right to know!"

"Get in the car," Dean responded sternly.

"Charleigh, she's just a crazy old woman," Sam intervened, sensing the tension that was building between her and Dean. "She knows nothing about you. Besides, the only person that knows your destiny, is you."

"Fine," she replied disappointedly as she climbed into the backseat. She watched out her window as they drove by the old woman and wondered if the woman was right. She wondered if her weaknesses would make her turn toward a life of evil. She really hoped that the woman was wrong because she knew Sam and Dean would be devastated.

"Charleigh, are you ready to tell us what happened and how you ended up in the hospital?" questioned Dean, about an hour later, as he looked back at her through his rearview mirror.

"No," she responded quietly.

"Spill it kid," he stated firmly. Charleigh sighed and peered up at him looking back at her. She took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"I thought you were both dead so I ran off," she began as tears came to her eyes. "I made it to a road and well, I kind of hitched a ride." She waited for a response, but they were both silent. "A man picked me up and he kept touching my leg and he wouldn't stop, so I tried to hit him with an ice scraper. I caused him to crash his truck and then I woke up in the hospital." She paused again and was worried when they still didn't respond. "Are you listening?" she questioned worriedly.

"How did the hospital know to call your Grandparents?" asked Sam as he turned in his seat to face her. Charleigh began to cry when her eyes met his.

"I told them to," she replied quietly. Suddenly, Dean jerked the Impala over to the side of the road and came sliding to a stop. He turned in his seat to glare at her, but Charleigh put her legs on the seat and buried her face in her knees.

"Dammit Charleigh!" he yelled angrily. "Sam and I have been working hard to keep you safe and that's the first thing you do when you think we are gone?! You give up and turn yourself over to your Uncle?! And you hitchhike after you promised you wouldn't?!" Dean reached over the seat and took a hold of her chin. "Look at me!" he demanded angrily. Charleigh slowly raised her eyes to meet his.

"You're scaring me Dean," she mentioned quietly.

"Good, because you need to be scared," he ground out firmly. "Your Uncle is an evil man and he will stop at nothing to make sure you follow in his footsteps!"

"I'm weak without you and Sam," she frowned.

"You are far from weak," replied Sam reassuringly. "You just need to believe that for yourself and you need to ask yourself – what does Charleigh want? And then you need to fight for it."

"What do you want Charleigh?" demanded Dean, still angry.

"I don't want to be evil!" she replied forcefully.

"Then that's what you need to fight for," replied Sam.

"Ok, I will, I'm sorry," she replied sadly. "Please don't be angry with me." Dean turned back in his seat without saying a word. Charleigh watched him sadly; she knew he was disappointed in her. She was disappointed in herself.

"We'll get through this," Sam said reassuringly as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.


	46. Chapter 46

_**I hope everyone's having a great day! My updates probably won't come as frequently starting on Monday since my work load just increased, but I will keep writing as long as you all are enjoying it! Thanks! Please review!**_

Sam looked back about twenty minutes later to find Charleigh asleep in the backseat. "Dean, she was scared and alone," commented Sam. 'Don't you think you were a little rough on her?"

"No," huffed Dean, still angry. "She could've had them call Bobby or Ellen, but instead she chose her Grandparents. She gave up the minute we weren't around to protect her." Dean inhaled and then exhaled slowly in an attempt to keep himself calm.

"Dean, she's 9," commented Sam, annoyed with his brother. "I know that sometimes she seems mature for her age, but in reality she's just a little girl. I'm sure she didn't think through the consequences of her decision."

"That's where I disagree," replied Dean. "I think she knew full well what she was doing and she did it anyway." Dean shook his head in anger.

"So now what?" questioned Sam with annoyance. "You just go on being angry with her?"

"I don't know Sam," snapped Dean angrily. Sam discontinued the conversation. He knew his brother was still angry and he wouldn't be able to get through to him while he was. They drove the remainder of the way home in silence. Once they arrived, Sam carried a sleeping Charleigh into the cabin and placed her gently in her bed. He covered with her blanket and looked down at her for a moment. He felt bad that Dean was so angry with her and he understood why, but he was disappointed that Dean wasn't letting it go. He knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of Dean's anger. Sam headed back out to the Living Room to find Dean sitting on the couch with a beer and the remote in his hand. He shook his head and headed into bed. He knew there had to be more going on in Dean's head and he was sure that Dean was feeling consumed with guilt after what had happened to Charleigh.

The next morning Charleigh woke up to find Dean asleep on the couch in the Living Room with several empty beers bottles on the floor next to him. She quietly gathered them up and carried them into the kitchen. She found Sam's lap top on the kitchen table and popped it open. She curiously typed in Dark Lighters on the search bar and waited to see if there were any results. A few sites appeared and Charleigh clicked on the first one. The images that appeared were very disturbing to her and she went to close out of it when she heard the floor creak from behind her. "What the hell Charleigh?" demanded Dean's voice. Charleigh spun around to face him and he looked angrier than she had ever seen him.

"I was just curious, that's all," pleaded Charleigh worriedly. Tears came to her eyes as she peered up at Dean. He seemed different to her and it scared her. She stood up from the table and quickly dashed passed him and ran into the bedroom with Sam. "Sam," she sobbed as she shook him abruptly. Sam wearily opened his eyes and quickly became concerned when he saw Charleigh curled up next to him on the bed.

"What's wrong?" he questioned as Dean appeared in the doorway of the bedroom.

"So now you run to Sam for protection?" Dean questioned angrily. Charleigh pulled Sam's covers up over her and squished as closely to Sam as she could.

"Dean, what's wrong?" asked Sam as he sat up.

"I caught her on your laptop looking up Dark Lighters," he stated angrily. Sam looked down at Charleigh disappointedly.

"I was just curious," she whined. "I'm sorry."

"Ok," sighed Sam. "Dean, I'm sure she was in fact just curious." Charleigh was relieved that Sam believed her and sighed in relief.

"You aren't allowed on the laptops for two weeks," Dean said sternly as he glared over at her.

"Ok," she replied quietly. Without saying another word, Dean entered the room and grabbed a change of clothes from his dresser and then headed into the bathroom. "He hates me now," Charleigh said sadly as she looked up at Sam.

"He doesn't hate you kiddo," replied Sam. "He just has a hard time moving on when someone disappoints him."

"What can I do?" replied Charleigh sadly.

"Give him a little time," replied Sam gently. "And Charleigh, next time you need to ask permission before going on my laptop."

"Ok," she replied. Charleigh spent the rest of the day hiding out in her bedroom so she could avoid Dean. Around dinner time Dean left the house to head to a bar to hustle some money. Charleigh went to bed before he returned. The next morning Sam woke her up for school and drove her in. Charleigh was relieved to be able to get out of the house. She had a hard time focusing at school, worried sick that Dean would never forgive her. She waited impatiently in the lunch line for her lunch with her friend Debbie. In front of Debbie was Ben's big brother. Debbie accidentally bumped into Ben's brother when she thought the line was moving.

"Watch it fatso," he laughed as she spun around and glared at her.

"Sorry," whimpered Debbie.

"Why are you getting lunch anyway?" he growled. "You're so fat, you should stop eating," he laughed. Charleigh's blood felt like it was boiling and she wasn't in the mood to put up with him right now. She impulsively tossed her empty lunch tray at him, connecting with his mouth. He instantly put his hands over his mouth and Charleigh could see blood trickling from beneath his hands.

"Leave her alone," she demanded angrily. She laughed as he ran out of line. However, a few minutes later, the Principal appeared and escorted her to his office. "He was making fun of my friend," Charleigh stated angrily when they were behind the closed door of his office.

"Sit down Miss Winchester," he ordered. Charleigh obediently sat down. "Did Carl put his hands on you?" he asked sternly.

"No," replied Charleigh.

"Did he threaten you?" he asked sternly.

"No, but," she stammered when he cut her off.

"Two days suspension," he declared firmly. "I will call your brothers and have them pick you up."

"Please, no," pleaded Charleigh. "He was making fun of my friend and she was letting him! He's a bully!"

"I'm sorry, but we cannot allow this type of behavior to happen," replied Mr. Benson.

"No fair!" pouted Charleigh.

She instinctively turned and ran for the door and took off outside. She ran around to the back of the school and into the woods that lined the playground. She sat down directly inside the tree line against one of the trees where she could look out onto the school grounds. She knew Sam and Dean would be able to locate her with her cell phone and waited until they arrived. She began to cry when she thought about how disappointed Dean was already with her and buried her face in her lap. "Charleigh," sighed Dean's voice. She peered up to find Sam and Dean. "Let's go," he said as he reached down and took her hand. He pulled her up and she instantly went to Sam and grabbed his hand. They headed to the Impala and climbed in, then headed back to the cabin in silence. "Go to your room," Dean stated calmly when they stepped inside. She obediently headed to her room and collapsed onto her bed. She could faintly hear Dean and Sam exchanging words in the Living Room and then her door opened. Dean sat down on the bed beside her while Sam stood by the door. She tried to read the expressions on their faces, but she couldn't.

She turned toward Dean. "Dean, I'm sorry I keep disappointing you," she frowned. "I made a selfish decision when I had the hospital contact my Grandparents and I'm sorry. I don't want to be a Dark Lighter, but I also don't want to continue to see everyone around me being hurt. I didn't have them call Bobby or Ellen because I knew they would feel obligated to protect me." Charleigh paused and looked up at him sadly. "I just want you to love me again."

"I never stopped loving you," replied Dean. "I was disappointed in you and I was disappointed in myself for not protecting you. I'm sorry too," he said gently as he gave her a hug. "Ellen and Bobby are family," he said gently as he released her. "And they would protect you because they want to, not because they feel obligated to. You can always call them."

"Ok," replied Charleigh, relieved that Dean was talking to her again.

"And if anything ever happens to us again, that's who you should call," chimed in Sam. Charleigh shook her head in agreement.

"Now, we want to know what happened at school today," Dean questioned calmly, but sternly. Charleigh quickly gave them an explanation. She wasn't sure if they would agree with her actions or not since she wasn't directly threatened by Carl. Instead, she just took her anger out on him. "And then you took off from the Principal's office?" questioned Dean sternly. Charleigh shook her head yes. "Charleigh, we've been over this many times," he sighed.

"I know," she replied sadly, knowing that the 'running off' wouldn't go over well with him. "I'm sorry."

"While I don't really condone how you handled it with the bully today, I'm proud of you for standing up for your friend," he said sternly, "but, you know better than to run off. Right?"

"Yes," she pouted, dreading what was coming next. Sam headed out of her room knowing that Dean had it under control and he could see that he was treating Charleigh fairly. He was also happy that Dean finally stopped giving her the silent treatment. "Are you going to spank me?" she asked as Sam closed the door behind them.

"I'm afraid so," he replied as he reached for her and pulled her over his lap. Charleigh started crying instantly, but was surprised when the spanking ended as quickly as it began. He didn't go as hard on her as he usually had, but it was enough to get the point across to her. He set her on her feet and gave her a hug. "We're in this together," he said gently. "If for some reason Sam and I aren't here, then you have other people who love you and would do anything to protect you."

"I know," sobbed Charleigh. "I love you Dean."

"I love you too, you troublemaker," he smiled.


	47. Chapter 47

Just a short, transitional chapter! Might be able to write more later! Reviews, thoughts, and suggestions are ALWAYS appreciated! Thanks everyone!

The next two days of Charleigh's school suspension were pretty uneventful. She spent most of her time watching television since her Kindle was still broken and she did her best to stay out of trouble. On the evening of the second day, Sam and Dean finally took her to the nearby Wal-mart to purchase a new Kindle. Sam was big on reading and it drove him crazy to watch Charleigh spend her free time in front of the television. They also signed her up for school bussing so they wouldn't have to worry about getting to school on time to pick her up if they were on a job and running late. Dean's phone rang as they all gathered that evening at the table for dinner. "It's Lisa," he mentioned curiously as he peered down at his phone. He stood up from the table and left the kitchen.

"Whose Lisa?" asked Charleigh curiously as she looked up at Sam. Sam hesitated, not knowing how much Dean wanted her to know about his relationship with Lisa. Sam knew Lisa was the love of Dean's life and it saddened him that Dean continued his life as a hunter instead of spending it with Lisa. They both gave up so much to protect others from evil, including their own happiness.

"A friend of Dean's," replied Sam. Dean came back into the kitchen with a worried look on his face.

"What's up?" asked Sam.

"That was Ben," he stated with urgency to his voice.

"Ben from school?" questioned Charleigh.

"No, a different Ben," replied Dean. Dean looked down at Charleigh and then back at Sam. "Sam, can I talk to you in private?" he asked, not wanting to involve Charleigh in the conversation. Sam nodded and stood up from the table and followed Dean into the Living Room.

"What's wrong Dean?" asked Sam worriedly, checking quickly behind him to make sure Charleigh wasn't eavesdropping. Meanwhile, Charleigh quietly headed over to the door and hid directly inside the doorway to see if she could hear what they were discussing.

"Ben came home from school and found a note on the counter," he began worriedly. "It directed him to contact me if he wanted to see his Mother alive again. It was signed 'Benny'."

"Benny?" questioned Sam.

"He's the demon that Cas said was working with the Matthew," replied Dean. Sam nodded his head. "I need to go out there and find her," Dean stated worriedly. "I also need to make sure Ben is safe."

"You can't go alone," Sam replied with concern.

"We can't take Charleigh out there," he replied firmly. "I'm sure it's a trap." Sam sighed and shook his head in defeat. He hated the idea of Dean heading into danger on his own, but he also knew that it wasn't safe for Charleigh. "I will try to get a hold of Cas and if I can't reach him, I'll call Bobby and take him with me. If it takes me longer than expected, maybe Ellen can head out here to stay with Charleigh and you can come and help me."

"Please don't go," pleaded Charleigh as she popped her head around the corner and peered at Sam and Dean worriedly. She stepped into the Living Room with them and grabbed Dean's hand. "Did Ben lose his Mother because of me?" she questioned as tears came to her eyes. Dean's first reaction was to get angry with her for eavesdropping, but he couldn't when he looked down and saw the concern on her face.

"No," he replied gently as he ruffled the hair on her head. "I'm sure it's to get revenge on me. Lisa is a close friend of mine and I care a lot about her and her son, Ben. The demons know it's the perfect way to get my attention."

"Oh," sighed Charleigh. "I'm sorry Dean."

"I should head out quickly, Michigan is a long ride from here," he replied worriedly. "You need to stay here with Sam. It's not safe there for you."

"But you need Sam," pleaded Charleigh as she grasped both his hands. "Take us with you, I'll be good, I promise."

"No Charleigh," replied Dean firmly as he crouched down and gave her a hug. "I'll be fine. I won't go alone. I'll have Cas or Bobby."

"Ok, Dean," replied Charleigh as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Dean released her and quickly packed up his duffel bag. Charleigh waited on the couch in the Living Room. Dean entered the Living Room and felt bad as he looked at Charleigh sitting on the couch waiting for him. He placed his large, black duffel by the door and headed over to the couch and sat next to her. "How long will you be?" she asked sadly.

"I really don't know," he replied. "It could be anywhere from a week to two weeks or even more."

"That's so long," she sobbed as she threw her arms around his waist and looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

"I know," he replied gently. "You'll have Sam and he'll take good care of you. You can call me anytime."

"Ok, bye Dean, I love you," she frowned.

"Bye honey," he replied as he kissed her forehead and then stood up from the couch. "And please behave for Sam." Charleigh nodded her head and stood up from the couch along with him, clutching onto his right hand. Dean took Charleigh's hand and placed it in Sam's. "Call me if you need anything," he said, feeling guilty. He gave them each a quick hug and threw his duffel over his shoulder. He headed out the door without saying another word. Even though she still had Sam, Charleigh immediately felt lonely as she watched Dean's Impala roar away. Sam looked down at her and squeezed her hand gently. Charleigh looked up at him and forced a smile. Sam knew the feeling well of watching your loved ones leaving on a hunt.


	48. Chapter 48

Just thought these lyrics were appropriate with my story:

_"Hold on to me as we go  
>As we roll down this unfamiliar road<br>And although this wave is stringing us along_

_Just know you're not alone  
>'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home<em>

_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
>Don't pay no mind to the demons<br>They fill you with fear  
>The trouble—it might drag you down<br>If you get lost, you can always be found_

_Just know you're not alone  
>'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home'"<em>

_~Lyrics to "Home" by Phillip Phillips_

"You owe me some lines," Sam said in a firm voice as he closed the door after Dean's departure.

"What?" she questioned with confusion.

"I will not eavesdrop, 100 times," Sam replied sternly. "Its disrespectful Charleigh and I don't like it, at all." Charleigh frowned. She thought that since Dean didn't address it that it was probably just forgotten. Sam looked down at his watch. "Its 6 o'clock now, I want you to work on it until 7 and then get ready for ready for bed. Back to school tomorrow." Charleigh rolled her eyes at the school remark. She was worried about going back and facing Carl. She knew she wouldn't be able to restrain herself if he started anymore trouble.

"Sam, I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I just….I just needed to know what was going on with Dean." She gave Sam her best pleading look, but the stern look on his face didn't quiver. "Geez, you're becoming just like Dean," she sighed with annoyance.

"Lines, now," he said sternly.

"Ok, ok, ok," she whined as she stomped into the kitchen and grabbed her notebook from her backpack. She ripped out a piece of paper and settled herself at the table. She began writing her lines, but quickly became distracted and started doodling on the margins of her paper. Sam wandered into the kitchen about ten minutes later to check her progress.

"Charleigh," he warned, startling her.

"Oh crap," she jumped and then continued with her lines. Sam grabbed his laptop and sat across from her at the table in order to keep her focused. She finally completed her lines and handed the paper to Sam. "Done," she pouted. Sam took the paper from her and checked it over quickly and then looked over her at her sternly.

"I don't like the eavesdropping," he said firmly. "Next time, you and I are going to have a problem. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she replied. Charleigh went and took a shower and then put on her pajamas. She headed back out to the Living Room to find Sam watching a zombie show on TV. He quickly clicked it off when he saw Charleigh. "I'm ready for bed," she announced. "Do you think you could read to me? I really like the Harry Potter books, but I'm having a hard time reading and understanding them. I was thinking you could read them to me when you have a chance."

"I think that's a great idea," he replied. "Why don't you get your Kindle and we can download the first book?"

"I already did," she replied excitedly as she ran into her bedroom and grabbed it off of her nightstand. She headed back into the Living Room and climbed onto the recliner and onto Sam's lap. She covered them with her favorite wolf fleece blanket. They both quickly became consumed with the story and continued well past Charleigh's bedtime. About an hour later Sam finally decided it was time to stop and sent her to bed. The next morning Charleigh hurried along so she was ready for the bus by 7:30. Sam walked her down to the bus stop which was about three cabins down from them at an intersection with the main road. Several parents gathered with their children.

"Hi Sam," said Katie as she approached him and Charleigh with her daughter Eva. "We haven't seen you guys in a while; I hope all is well with you."

"Just busy," replied Sam, as he uncomfortably continued to make small talk with her. Finally, the bus arrived and Charleigh was annoyed when she saw Carl staring out the window at them.

"Just great," she mumbled to herself. Sam quickly kissed her forehead and watched as she hurried over to the other children as they filed onto the bus. He stood, with his hands in his pockets, and watched as the bus pulled away from the curb. Meanwhile, Charleigh made her way to a seat far away from Carl. She really didn't want any more trouble with him. The bus arrived at school about a ½ hour after making several more stops. The children filed out. Once Charleigh was out of the bus, she felt someone latch onto her arm tightly and pull her away from the crowd of children. She yanked her arm away and looked up to find Carl with a friend on each side of him. "This should be good," sighed Charleigh with annoyance. "I see you've brought your bodyguards."

"If you cause any more trouble for me, there's going to be a problem," he growled as he towered over her.

"You and your friends going to beat on me?" she questioned bravely. "Trust me; I'm not scared of you or them." Carl glared down at her. He couldn't believe how dismissive she was to his threat. "Are we done here?" she asked as she pretended to yawn. "Because you're boring me with these silly threats." Carl waved his fist in her face and then stormed away with his friends. Charleigh sighed in relief as she watched them walk away. Although she would give it her best try, she knew she wouldn't be able to take on all three of them. She glanced toward the school and followed the rest of the children inside. The rest of the day went well and she avoided the bullies. As she filed onto the bus at the end of the day, she noticed Carl in one of the middle seats. She looked around hoping to find a seat in front so she wouldn't have to pass him, but she couldn't find one. She took a deep breath and shuffled by him, only to have him extend his foot and trip her. Charleigh tumbled to the bus floor. She stood up angrily and shoved past a few kids to get back to Carl. "You asshat!" she yelled as she gave him a jab to his face, connecting with his eye.

"Ow!" he screeched as he covered his eye instantly. The kids around her began laughing. Charleigh felt bad as he cowered in the corner and hid himself under his hoodie. She couldn't understand why he continued to mess with her. She just shook her head and continued to the end of the bus. She watched out the window as they pulled up to her bus stop. Sam was waiting in the distance and was talking on his cell phone. Charleigh jumped up excitedly and hurried off the bus, hoping it was Dean. She ran over to Sam.

"Is it Dean?" she asked excitedly. Sam nodded and told Dean to hold on and then handed Charleigh the phone. Charleigh spoke with him for a few minutes and felt sad as she handed the phone back to Sam. She missed him already and it wasn't even 24 hours. Sam looked conflicted as he hung up the phone. "What's wrong?" asked Charleigh. "Dean's ok, right?"

"Yeah," replied Sam as he took her hand and walked toward their house. "Cas is going to be bringing a guest to stay with us," he stated.

"Really, who?" asked Charleigh.

"Lisa's son, Ben," replied Sam. "He's alone and Dean is going to be busy searching for Lisa, so he figured Ben could stay with us." They stopped outside the cabin and Sam turned toward Charleigh. "He should be here soon."

"Do you know him?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"A little," replied Sam. "I helped Dean on a hunt that involved Ben and some of the other children in his neighborhood. "

"How old is he?" asked Charleigh.

"Well, last time I saw him he had just celebrated his 8th birthday," replied Sam. "And that was about a year ago." Charleigh walked with Sam into the cabin. She was excited to have a playmate her own age, but part of her was also worried about sharing Sam's attention. "So, it looks like I will be responsible for two of you now," grinned Sam. "Should be interesting." Sam laughed to himself as he thought about how quickly his role changed from hunter to babysitter, but he didn't care; he knew keeping Charleigh safe was more important than anything. Charleigh smiled apprehensively and became anxious as they awaited Ben's arrival. She wondered if she would like him and if he would like her.

"Sam," began Charleigh as she took a seat on the couch. "I need to talk to you about something that happened at school today." Sam looked over at Charleigh and sat down next to her, giving her his full attention. Charleigh told him about the incident with Carl in the morning and then the incident on the bus. Charleigh's eyes filled with tears when she thought back to how defeated Carl looked after she punched him in the eye and everyone laughed at him. "I don't want to fight with him Sam," she sadly. "I just want him to leave me alone."

"I'll go in tomorrow and have a talk with Mr. Benson," replied Sam reassuringly. "Don't worry Charleigh and I'm proud of you for sticking up for yourself." Charleigh grinned, but still felt bad over what had happened. Suddenly, Cas appeared in the room with Ben. Both Charleigh and Sam jumped in surprise. Charleigh peered curiously at Ben. She was shocked at the striking resemblance he had to Dean right down to his appearance and clothing style. Ben looked back at her curiously and grinned.

"This is Ben," announced Cas and then quickly disappeared leaving Ben alone with them.


	49. Chapter 49

_**Hi All! I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I was just curious how many of you are still reading? Should I continue with this story? Or should I put my efforts into another story? Thanks so much! Have a nice day!**_


	50. Chapter 50

_**Thank you for reading and I'm so happy that so many of you are enjoying it! I loved reading your responses and they have motivated me to continue!**_

"Hi Ben," said Sam. "Do you remember me?"

"Yeah, hi Sam," he replied nervously.

"This is Charleigh, she's our sister," introduced Sam.

"Hi Charleigh," he said as he looked over at her.

"Hi Ben," said Charleigh. She continued to stare at him curiously. She couldn't get over the fact that he looked so much like Dean. "Is Dean his Dad?" she asked curiously as she looked up at Sam. "I thought you said his Mom was a friend."

"He's not his Dad," replied Sam as he gave Charleigh a look letting her know to drop it. Charleigh wasn't too sure about that; she was almost certain that Dean had to be his Dad.

"Hmph," she sighed.

"So Ben," said Sam as he walked over and put his arm around him. "I was thinking you could share a room with me while you are here; you can take Dean's bed."

"Ok, thanks," he replied.

"Come on, I'll give you a tour," Sam said. Charleigh watched as Ben followed Sam to the kitchen and then back out into the Living Room and into the bathroom and then the two bedrooms. She felt bad for him. She knew he must be worried sick about his Mom. Once Sam was done showing Ben around, he headed back to the Living Room where Charleigh was sitting on the couch watching television. "Charleigh, do you have homework?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Homework before TV, remember?" he questioned. Charleigh rolled her eyes; she thought Sam was too much of a hard ass when it came to school.

"Yeah," she sighed as she got up from the couch and picked up her backpack that was lying on the floor by the door. She headed into the kitchen and settled herself at the table. She could hear Ben and Sam in the background as they discussed what to watch on the television. She was annoyed that Ben was able to watch television while she was stuck doing her stupid homework. She tried to work on her homework, but couldn't focus. She then heard Sam and Ben laughing at something on the television. She got up from the table and headed quietly into the Living Room. "What are you watching?" she asked curiously. Sam looked up at her from his spot on the recliner.

"Finished already?" he asked.

"No," she pouted. "Can I do it later?"

"Charleigh," warned Sam.

"Ugh, fine," she snapped as she stomped her foot on the floor. Sam watched her curiously. He was surprised at her reaction since normally she would just do her homework without a problem. He stood up and followed her into the kitchen. Charleigh didn't realize Sam was behind her as she kicked her chair, and then shoved the table. Sam grabbed her arm gently and turned her to face him.

"What's the problem?" he asked sternly.

"Nothing," she pouted as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Doesn't seem like nothing," he replied patiently.

"I'm feeling left out," she stammered. "I want to get to know Ben too, but instead you exiled me to the kitchen to do my homework. That's not fair," she pouted.

"Oh, I see," he replied calmly. "Ok, you can hang out with us, but after dinner its business as usual." Charleigh nodded in agreement. She knew it was usually easier to get away with things with Sam and he usually had more patience than Dean. She followed Sam back out to the Living Room and sat down on the couch next to Ben. Sam's phone rang and he got up and left the room. She looked over at Ben who was anxiously watching Sam as he left the room with his phone. "Don't worry," said Charleigh reassuringly. Ben turned to look at her. "Dean will save your Mom. I just know it." Ben grinned at her as tears welled up in his eyes.

"We had an argument that morning," he replied sadly. "I wanted to ride my bike to school with my buddies and she wouldn't let me. I told her I hated her." Ben wiped a few tears from his face that fell from his eyes. Charleigh knew all too well what it felt like when you thought you lost the person you loved.

"She knows you love her," replied Charleigh. Ben nodded his head. Just then Sam came back into the room with his phone in his hand. "Was that Dean?" asked Charleigh as she looked up at Sam.

"Yeah, he just wanted to make sure Ben made it here all right," replied Sam as he looked over at the two of them on the couch. By the look on Sam's face, Charleigh had a feeling that something else was going on. "I know its cold out, but why don't we take a walk up to ice cream parlor and play some video games and grab some sandwiches," suggested Sam.

"Yay!" replied Charleigh excitedly.

"Sure," replied Ben. They put on their coats and walked about a ½ mile in the freezing cold to the ice cream parlor. It was more like a hang out spot with video games and pool tables. They of course sold ice cream, along with finger foods and sandwiches. After they ate, Sam handed them both ten dollars to play some games. Charleigh was playing Pac man when someone came up from behind her and slammed her into the game. She pushed back and grabbed her grabbed her stomach from the pain. She went to turn around, but was pushed against the machine again and held there.

"That was payback," growled a voice in her ear. She recognized it as Carl's voice.

"Hey, get off of her!" demanded another voice that she recognized as Ben's.

"Who are you?" demanded Carl as he released Charleigh and glared at Ben.

"Her friend," replied Ben. "And you should really treat a lady with more respect than that," he stated angrily. Charleigh smiled at his statement; thinking it was something Dean would say.

"Mind your own business," replied Carl as he gave Ben a little shove. Meanwhile, Charleigh was ready to pounce on Carl, but Sam appeared between the two boys.

"Enough," said Sam firmly.

"Sam," said Charleigh as she tugged on his arm. Sam turned his head and looked down at her beside him. "This is Carl," she announced.

"Charleigh, Ben, go find another game to play," stated Sam. "I want to have a little chat with Carl." Charleigh stuck her tongue out at Carl and headed away with Ben behind her.

"Thanks for having my back," smiled Charleigh as she turned to face Ben. "I really didn't want to have to beat his ass again." Ben smiled at her comment. Charleigh liked Ben and was looking forward to having a partner in crime. Meanwhile, Sam had a discussion with Carl about bullying and threatened to call his parents if it continued. After they played a few more games, they headed back to the cabin. Charleigh finished her homework and got ready for bed. Once they were both ready for bed, Sam took a seat in the middle of the couch with Ben on one side and Charleigh on the other and read more from the Harry Potter book. He thought having two 9 years to care for wasn't going to be as difficult as he had thought.


	51. Chapter 51

_**Happy Monday! I hope everyone is well! Thanks again for reading! Please review!**_

Charleigh woke up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare that Dean was hurt. She picked up her cell phone from her nightstand and dialed his number, but there was no answer. "Hi Dean," she said on his voicemail. "It's Charleigh; I was just missing you and wanted to say hi. I love you. Bye." She turned her phone off and glanced around her room. She was still shaking from her dream and was scared to be alone in her bedroom. She quickly headed into Sam's room with her pillow under her arm and shook him gently. "Sam," she whispered. Sam groggily opened his eyes to Charleigh peering down at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I had a bad dream," she frowned. "Can I sleep in here?"

"Sure," replied Sam as he squished over to the edge of the bed where it met the wall to make room for her. Charleigh set her pillow next to his and climbed into his bed.

"Dean didn't answer his phone when I just tried to call," she said sadly once she was safety nestled in Sam's bed with the comforter pulled up to her chin.

"Dean's fine," yawned Sam. "We'll try him again in the morning before you go to school."

"Ok," replied Charleigh, still worried, as she turned over on her side and closed her eyes. In the morning, she woke up to her cell phone ringing from her bedroom. She jumped out of Sam's bed and ran for her phone. "Dean!" she said excitedly as she put the phone to her ear.

"Hey kiddo," he said from the other end. "I saw that you tried to call last night. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I just missed you," she replied. "How are you doing?"

"We're slowly making progress," he replied. "How's Ben doing?" he asked.

"Good, he's a cool kid," Charleigh replied. "He misses his Mom."

"Can you put him on the phone?" asked Dean. Charleigh felt a small pang of jealously at Dean's request to speak with Ben. She became even more jealous when she thought about the possibility of Dean being Ben's Dad. She liked Ben, but she hated that she had to share Dean and Sam with him. She liked having her brothers all to herself.

"Sure, Dean," she stated disappointedly. "Bye."

"Bye kiddo," he replied. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied sullenly. "Hurry back." Charleigh headed back to Sam's room where both he and Ben were still asleep. "Ben," she said as she shook him awake. Ben opened his eyes to Charleigh dangling the phone in front of his face. "Dean wants to talk to you," she stated as she handed him the phone. Ben sat up and put the phone to his ear. Charleigh trudged from the room and headed into her room to get ready for school. She put on a pair of jeans and her favorite New York Yankees hoodie. When she headed out of her room, Sam was in the Living Room talking to Dean on her phone. She stopped before Sam noticed her and stood quietly behind the hallway wall leading into the Living Room and listened in on Sam's conversation.

"Does Cas know how to destroy him?" asked Sam. "An athame? Yeah, ok, I will do some research to see if I can locate one. Do you need me to come out there?" Sam paused. "I know Dean, but Cas shouldn't get too close and you shouldn't go in alone. It's too dangerous." Sam paused again. "I know Dean…..Ok, I will talk to you later." Charleigh felt a sickening feeling fill her stomach. Lisa, Dean, and Cas were in danger because of her and there was nothing she could do about it. The Dark Lighters wanted her and they wouldn't stop at anything to get her, even if it meant hurting innocent people. Charleigh just couldn't accept the idea that everyone repeatedly put themselves in danger for her. She knew in the end that she would just let them down. "Charleigh!" called Sam, interrupting her irrational thoughts. "The bus will be here soon!" Charleigh stepped into the Living Room and grabbed her black fleece that hung by the front door. Sam studied her face for a moment, realizing something seemed different with her. "Everything ok Charleigh?" he asked.

"Yeah, just tired" she replied quickly, without making eye contact, and picked up her backpack from the floor and swung it onto her back. Sam placed his hand on her forehead to see if she was running a fever. "I'm fine," she sighed, but in reality she was holding herself back from having a major breakdown. Sam took her arm and turned her to face him.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked again gently.

"I'm going to be late," she replied as she turned her back on him and swung open the door. She could see the bus in the distance and took off running for the bus stop. Sam hurried behind her, but Charleigh didn't have a chance to say good bye as the bus was ready to leave without her. Sam waved good-bye as the bus pulled away. Meanwhile, Sam went back to the cabin and began researching the Athame. He found out that it was a ceremonial dagger, with a double-edged blade and usually a black handle. It was the main ritual implement used in the religion of Wicca. However, it could also be used to destroy Dark Lighters. He began researching practicing Wiccans and then made some phone calls to find out where he could find an Athame. He called Dean back to give him the location so Cas could go and pick it up. Ben wandered into the Living Room well into the late morning hours. He was still dressed in his blue flannel pajamas and took a seat on the couch.

"There's yogurt and fruit in the refrigerator if you're hungry," mentioned Sam as he closed his laptop.

"Thanks," replied Ben. They spent the rest of the day watching movies and they played a few card games while they waited for Charleigh to come home. They both headed down to the bus stop at 2:30 to pick her up. Charleigh was still distraught as the bus came to a stop at her bus stop. She fought the urge all day to take off and find Dean. However, she knew in the end it would only piss Dean off and land her in a lot of trouble.

"Hey kiddo," smiled Sam as he met her at the curb.

"Hi," she replied, and then looked over at Ben standing next to Sam. "Hi Ben."

"Hey," replied Ben.

"We just need to run over to the convenient store before we head back to the cabin," stated Sam. "I thought we could rent a few movies and I need to get some orange juice and eggs." They followed after Sam toward the convenient store which was across the street from the bus stop.

"So what did you two do today?" Charleigh asked curiously.

"Watched TV and played cards," replied Ben as they arrived at the store.

"Oh," replied Charleigh as they followed Sam inside. Charleigh wandered around the store while Sam and Ben picked out a few movies from the redbox. She passed by the rack with all the small bottles of liquor and then stopped and turned back around. Without hesitation, she quickly grabbed a few handfuls and loaded her coat pockets. She continued walking to where Sam and Ben were trying to decide what to rent. "I'd like Dolphin Tale 2," she piped up. Sam nodded and chose Dolphin Tale 2 along with the first Night at the Museum. She was able to leave the store without being noticed and they headed back to the cabin. Charleigh immediately went into her bedroom and stashed the small liquor bottles in her nightstand drawer. After dinner, she headed back into her bedroom, closed her door, and dug through her nightstand drawer. She pulled out a small, 4oz bottle that read Bacardi 151 and unscrewed the top. She quickly put it to her lips and gulped it down without hesitation. She thought the taste was disgusting and it burned while going down. She couldn't understand why Sam and Dean liked to drink alcohol. She didn't think there was anything enjoyable about it. There was a knock on her door and she opened it to find Ben.

"Come in," she said as he stepped in and she closed the door behind him. He looked at her curiously for a moment, wondering what she was up to. She went over to her drawer and pulled out another small bottle. "Want some?" she asked, and then started giggling uncontrollably. Ben's eyes widened in surprise. He considered himself a badass, but he had never thought about drinking alcohol.

"No….thanks," he replied awkwardly. "Where did you get that?" he asked.

"I stole it from the store," she tried to reply in a serious tone, but broke out laughing. Ben was shocked. He could very well see she was drunk and wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

"Shhhhhhhh…Maybe you should just go to bed," he suggested. Charleigh began twirling around her room and laughed out loudly. There was a knock on the door and Sam entered.

"You two want to watch a movie?" he asked, but then Charleigh's behavior quickly caught his attention.

"Hi Sammy!" laughed Charleigh as she crawled onto her bed and stood up. Sam couldn't believe his eyes. He looked at Ben in astonishment.

"Is she drunk?" questioned Sam.

"I…I….I don't know," replied Ben hesitantly, not wanting to get Charleigh in trouble.

"Yup, I'm drunk!" laughed Charleigh as she tossed the empty bottle at Sam. Sam caught the bottle in his right hand and couldn't believe his eyes when he read it.

"Charleigh," he sighed angrily.

"Loosen up Sammy!" she laughed as she began jumping up and down on her bed.


	52. Chapter 52

Sam couldn't believe it. He was in complete shock that Charleigh had done something like this. He quickly reached for her and pulled the 50lb child roughly off of the bed, sending her tumbling onto her knees as she reached the floor. "Ow Sam," she complained. "You're hurting me." Without saying a word, Sam lifted her from the floor and carried her into the bathroom. He held her tightly under the crook of his arm while he turned the cold water on in the shower. He then placed her in the shower, clothes and all. "It's cold!" she cried as she tried desperately to get out, but Sam continued to hold her in place while he himself became drenched with cold water. Meanwhile, Ben waited awkwardly in the Living Room. He was surprised by the whole incident and wondered if Charleigh behaved like that frequently. He could hear her cries coming from the bathroom as Sam continued to hold her under the cold shower. He could hear a phone ringing and looked over at the end table and saw Sam's phone with Dean's name flashing across the screen. He picked it up and poked his head in the bathroom. He saw Charleigh sitting on the tub floor holding her head while the cold water continued to splash down on her.

"Sam, Dean's calling," he interrupted.

"Find out if it's an emergency," Sam replied anxiously. "If not, tell him I'll call him back later."

"Ok," replied Ben worriedly as he opened the phone. "Hi Dean," he said.

"Ben?" questioned Dean forcefully from the other end. "Everything ok? Where's Sam?"

"Uh, well, he's um busy with Charleigh," replied Ben hesitantly.

"Is Charleigh ok?" replied Dean worriedly.

"She will be," replied Ben.

"Ben?" questioned Dean sternly. "What's going on?" Ben's face flushed red with worry. He didn't want to have to tell Dean about Charleigh, but he also didn't want to have to lie.

"Charleigh's drunk," Ben replied quickly.

"DRUNK?!" hollered Dean from the other end. "Put Sam on the damn phone!" Ben fumbled with the phone and poked his head back into the bathroom. By now, Sam had turned the water off and Charleigh was still sitting on the tub floor with a towel around her shoulders. Sam was leaning up against the wall next to the sink trying to keep himself in check.

"Sam?" questioned Ben. Sam looked over at Ben, still holding the phone, his hands trembling. "Dean wants to talk to you now." Sam could see Ben was worried and reached out and took the phone from him. Ben glanced at Charleigh and then hurried off into the bedroom he shared with Sam.

"Hi Dean," said Sam as he placed the phone to his ear.

"What the hell is going on there?!" demanded Dean from the other end.

"Dean, calm down," Sam commented.

"Ben said that Charleigh is drunk?!" Dean yelled.

"She is," replied Sam calmly.

"How the hell did she get drunk?!" demanded Dean.

"She stole liquor from the convenience store," replied Sam, waiting for Dean to blow up on the other end. Dean remained silent for a moment. "Dean?" questioned Sam.

"Sam, you had better make sure she doesn't even THINK about ever doing something like this again," Dean ground out from the other end. "She's damn lucky that I am not there." Dean paused for a moment, but then continued. "And why the hell do you sound so calm?!" he demanded.

"Dean, I'll take care of it," replied Sam as he looked down at Charleigh, still sitting in the tub. "She's drunk Dean, I can't do anything until her buzz wears off."

"Make sure she calls me first thing tomorrow morning," Dean said angrily. "I'm going to put the fear of God in her."

"I will Dean," replied Sam. "Did you call for something?"

"Yeah, but I can wait," sighed Dean angrily. "Sounds like you have bigger problems to deal with right now. I'll call you tonight." Sam hung up the phone and sighed. He was angry with Charleigh, but there was no need to go ballistic on her yet; he would wait until she sobered up.


	53. Chapter 53

Charleigh was shivering as Sam helped her out of the bathtub. "I'm sorry Sam," whined Charleigh as she grabbed onto the front of his shirt and lost her balance, soaking his flannel shirt even more. Sam pulled her to her feet and pried her hands from his shirt. "I am always letting you and Dean down," she stammered as Sam grabbed her hands to steady her. "I'm a big disappointment."

"We'll talk about it later," replied Sam calmly. "You need to get those wet clothes off and put some pajamas on." Charleigh grabbed onto the front of his shirt again, yanking him down to her level.

"I'm sorry," she stammered again. Sam pried her hands off again and decided it would be easier just to carry her into her bedroom. He lifted her and carried her quickly to her room. "I love this place," she stated happily as he set her on her feet. Sam shook his head and went over to her dresser and pulled out a set of pajamas.

"Take your wet stuff off and put these on," he said as he tossed them onto her bed. He turned and headed for her door and went out, then closed it gently behind him. Meanwhile, Charleigh tried pulling off her wet sweatshirt, but ended up having a wrestling match with it instead. She fell onto the floor with her hoodie covering her face. Sam heard the ruckus and went back into her bedroom. He found her on the floor laughing hysterically at herself. "Oh boy," he sighed with irritation. He sat her up on the floor and pulled her sweatshirt off and then grabbed her pajama top from her bed and helped her put it on. "Can you get the jeans off?" he asked impatiently.

"I think," she giggled as she began wrestling with them. "I think they're glued on," she laughed as she tried to force them down. Sam sighed and reached for the waistband which was stuck around her knees and helped her to pull them down. He reached onto the bed and tossed the pajama bottoms and underwear at her.

"Put them on," he stated; he could feel himself losing his patience and hoped she would sober up sooner than later. Once Sam had Charleigh in her pajamas, he left her in her room for a moment and went to his room to change out of his wet clothes. He found Ben in the room waiting patiently on his bed. "Hey," sighed Sam as he unbuttoned his flannel shirt and then tossed it on the floor. "Did you know anything about this?" he asked Ben as he grabbed a sweatshirt from his drawer and put it on.

"No way," replied Ben, looking up at him. "Does she do this stuff a lot?"

"She gets into her share of trouble," replied Sam. "But this definitely tops the list as one of the worst." They both jumped at the sound of something crashing in the other room. They both ran for Charleigh's room, but didn't find her. Sam hurried for the Living Room and then to the kitchen. He found Charleigh on the kitchen floor with one of the chairs on top of her. He pulled the chair off of her and then pulled her to her feet. "Come on," he said as he put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get you into bed so you don't hurt yourself." Ben watched and was surprised by Sam's patience. His Mom was usually an easy going person, but he knew she would go through the roof if he had ever pulled a stunt like Charleigh did. They headed into her room and Sam helped her into bed. He sat down on the edge of her bed and waited until she fell asleep which didn't take long. He headed back out into the Living Room to find Ben. "I'm sorry Ben," he said as he sat down in the recliner. "This evening has successfully revolved around Charleigh," he sighed. As he made the statement to Ben, he began to wonder if that was Charleigh's intention.

"That's ok," replied Ben as he looked down at his watch. "It's still early; we can still watch a movie."

"Yeah," agreed Sam. "Your choice, put one on." The next morning Charleigh woke up to her phone ringing. She looked at it to see Dean's name on the screen. She decided it was in her best interest to ignore it. However, moments later, it was ringing again.

"Hello," she said quietly as she placed it to her ear.

"Charleigh!" boomed Dean's voice from the other end.

"Hi Dean," she whispered.

"I heard about the stunt you pulled yesterday," he stated angrily.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"If you EVER and I mean EVER do something that stupid again, you will be feeling my belt on your backside," he ground out angrily. Charleigh's face flushed red with embarrassment. The thought of being hit with Dean's belt made her cringe. "Do I make myself clear young lady?" he demanded.

"Yes," she whispered as tears came to her eyes. "I'm sorry Dean."

"All right," he said more calmly. "We'll talk more about it when I get home." Charleigh frowned. She hated to disappoint Sam and Dean, but sometimes her emotions got the best of her and she made stupid, impulsive decisions. "Tell Sam to call me later."

"Ok," she replied quietly.

"I'll talk to you later," he said as he hung up from the other end. Charleigh set her phone down and then headed into the kitchen to find a snack. She sat down at the table and quickly ate a bowlful of grapes. A few minutes later, Sam entered the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Ok," she replied. Sam grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and then at down across from her. Charleigh tried to look up at him, but couldn't. She was ashamed of herself and she was sure that Sam was too.

"Why did you do it?" questioned Sam calmly.

"I don't know," she frowned as she slowly looked up and met his eyes. Tears came to her eyes instantly.

"You need to do better than that," he replied sternly.

"I heard you talking to Dean and it upset me that everyone continues to put themselves in danger for me," she stated.

"So you were eavesdropping AGAIN on a private conversation?" he questioned angrily.

"Yes," she pouted.

"Anything else you want to share?" he asked, waiting for her to spill the beans on her jealousy of Ben.

"No," she pouted. Sam sighed and crossed his arms across his chest. He sat silently for a moment and gathered his thoughts.

"You stole, you got drunk, and you were listening in on my conversation," he stated with frustration, trying to keep his temper under control. "So this is what is going to happen. You are grounded to your room all weekend without your kindle or phone. While you are in your room, you will write a 3,000 word essay on the dangers of drinking alcohol, and, you will bring the alcohol back to the store and apologize." Sam paused and took a deep breath. He hated having to punish her.

"But I don't know 3,000 words," pleaded Charleigh.

"Enough," warned Sam angrily. "Go to your room and wait for me." Charleigh gulped at those words and knew exactly what they meant. She stood up from the table and looked at Sam pleadingly, but his face was stern.

"Please Sam," she pleaded.

"Go!" he ordered. Charleigh trudged into the Living Room to find Ben. She looked over at him and frowned. Her face flushed red with embarrassment when she thought about Ben hearing Sam giving her a well deserved spanking. She continued past him and headed into her room. She closed her door behind her and collapsed onto her bed. She waited for what seemed like forever until Sam finally entered her room. He sat down on the edge of her bed in the middle.

"Sam," she pleaded as she hopped off her bed and stood across from him. "Please don't spank me," she pleaded. 'Ben will hear everything." Tears of embarrassment came to her eyes.

"I already told him he might hear you crying," replied Sam. "And I'm sure he agrees that you deserve it."

"I'm sure he doesn't," mumbled Charleigh. She couldn't imagine any kids that would agree with it.

"Come here," he ordered. Charleigh pouted and walked over to him. "Bottoms off," he stated angrily. Charleigh looked up at him pleadingly, but his face was still stern. She reached for her waistband and pulled them down. Sam lifted her across his lap and then pulled down her underwear exposing her bare bottom. Charleigh gasped and reached back to protect her bottom. She couldn't believe this was happening. Dean had never spanked her on the bare bottom and Sam was supposed to be the easy going brother. Sam took her flailing hand and held it firmly against the small of her back. Charleigh held her breath as the first spank connected with her bare bottom. It hurt worse more than she imagined it would. Sam continued spanking her bottom and finally Charleigh couldn't hold back. She began to cry out with each spank, and then she sobbed into her comforter. Sam finished up with 10 more smacks and then stopped. He covered her pink bottom right away with her underwear and then let her sob for a few minutes. He finally lifted her from his lap and went to comfort her, but Charleigh reached down and pulled up her bottoms and stepped away from him.

"I don't know why you and Dean care so much," she sobbed as she covered her face with her hands. Sam got up from the bed and put his arms around her.

"Because we love you," he said gently. "And having Ben here doesn't change the way we feel about you." Charleigh looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "I know you're jealous of him and there's no reason to be," he said reassuringly. "You are our "pain in the ass" little sister and nothing is going to change how we feel about you." Charleigh grinned and threw her arms around him.

"I'm sorry Sam," she sobbed.

"I know," he replied as he reached down and lifted her chin to look at him. "This can't happen again Charleigh," he said gently, but sternly.

"Ok Sam," she hiccupped through the tears.


	54. Chapter 54

Charleigh spent the rest of the day in her bedroom, lying on her bed, researching the dangers of drinking alcohol on Sam's laptop. Every now and then, she would look up something different that interested her, but when she heard Sam's footsteps she would quickly go back to the alcohol pages. She thought it was a stupid assignment since she already knew firsthand what the dangers of drinking alcohol were. She watched her Mother fade away before her eyes and she would never forget how her Mother ruined her childhood. Tears came to her eyes as she thought back to her life with her Mom. She wished they could start all over again and live a normal life together. She changed the focus of her essay and began writing about her Mother and how alcohol ruined her life. There came a knock on her door around lunchtime. "Come in," she said as she looked toward her door. She watched as Ben stepped into her room carrying a plate with a sandwich and a banana on it.

"We thought you might be hungry," he said as he approached her and put the plate down next to her on the bed.

"Thanks," she replied. Ben stood there for a moment awkwardly looking at her. "Something wrong?" she asked with annoyance.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied as her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"That was pretty bad ass of you," he remarked as a smile appeared on his face. "I would never have pulled that off."

"Well, I didn't exactly pull it off," replied Charleigh as she picked up her turkey sandwich and took a bite. She chewed on the piece of sandwich, then swallowed and continued talking. "Both Sam and Dean are pissed and I don't think I'll be able to sit comfortably for a few days."

"Sam really laid into you," he commented.

"Yeah," she sighed. Suddenly, Sam appeared behind Ben.

"How's the essay going?" he asked.

"Fine," replied Charleigh as she looked back down at the laptop without making eye contact with him.

"Well, we'll leave you to get back to work," he commented, sensing that she didn't want to talk to him. "Come on Ben," he gestured as he turned and left the room. Charleigh looked up in time to watch them leave. She continued with her assignment into the evening. Sam came back into her room around dinner time.

"Take a break and come eat with us," he said as he closed the screen of her laptop. He glanced down at her notebook and could see she had already made a lot of progress.

"I'm not hungry," she replied, refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Suit yourself," he replied. "You can take a shower and get ready for bed."

"You're not going to make me take a cold shower, are you?" she questioned with annoyance as she thought back to the previous night. "That was so mean Sam," she stated with frustration. Sam ignored her comments and left her room. He really didn't want to get into again with her and he was sure she would say something to piss him off. Sam thought she was a lot like Dean in that respect, always having to get the last word in. Charleigh trudged into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. She put her purple bathrobe on and headed back into her room and put her fleecy dog pajamas on. She stared at the laptop on her bed and then carried it out to the kitchen where Sam and Ben were playing a card game. Even though Sam told her that she had nothing to be jealous about, she couldn't help but feel jealous. She glared at Ben and then slammed down the laptop in front of Sam. "I'm going to bed," she huffed. She ran back into her bedroom and closed her door, leaving it open a crack. She looked over at her nightstand and realized that the alcohol was still in her drawer. She slowly opened the drawer and peered inside at the 7 tiny bottles. She couldn't believe that she was actually thinking about drinking another bottle.

"Seriously Charleigh!?" demanded Sam's voice from behind her. Charleigh jumped and spun around to face Sam. "Hand them over, NOW!" he ordered sternly. Charleigh trembled as she gathered the bottles in her hands and handed them to Sam.

"I wasn't going to drink them," she whined. "I was going to bring them to you." Sam looked at her questionably. He wasn't convinced that he believed her, but gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"Ok," he replied. "We'll return them to the store tomorrow." Charleigh sighed in relief. "Goodnight," he said as he bent over and kissed her gently on the forehead. Sam left her room and Charleigh climbed into her bed. The next day pretty much went the same way for her, except for the embarrassment of having to return the alcohol to the store in the evening. As they headed back to the house, Charleigh spotted the Impala in front of the cabin.

"Dean's home?!" she questioned excitedly.

"Is my Mom with him?" questioned Ben excitedly.

"Maybe you two should take a look," grinned Sam, knowing that both Dean and Lisa were safely inside. Charleigh and Ben took off running toward the cabin. They burst through the front door to find Dean and Lisa sitting on the couch holding hands.

"Dean!" cried Charleigh as she jumped into his arms. Dean smiled at her reaction to his return.

"Mom!" said Ben happily as he wrapped his arms around her. Dean held onto Charleigh for a few moments and then finally released her and set her on his lap. Ben took a seat next to his Mother. Sam entered through the front door and smiled. As he looked over at them, he couldn't help but see a family. He wished more than anything that Charleigh and Dean could have the family they both deserved.

"You must be Charleigh," smiled Lisa as she looked over at Charleigh. Charleigh thought Lisa was beautiful with her long and wavy, dark brown hair and dark eyes. Even dressed in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, she was beautiful.

"That's me," replied Charleigh happily. "I'm glad you're safe. I knew Dean would save you."

"Me too," chimed in Ben. Lisa turned toward Ben and smiled. She was relieved to see Ben happy and safe.

"Can you tell me about the hunt?" asked Charleigh curiously as she turned toward Dean.

"Later," replied Dean. "Sam," he said as he looked up at his brother. "If its ok with you, Ben and Lisa are going to stay here for a few days or so until Cas finds them a safe place to go."

"That's fine," replied Sam, thinking that the small cabin was going to become even more interesting.

"And you," stated Dean firmly as he looked at Charleigh. "You and I need to have a talk."

Charleigh frowned at his statement. "Nothing like raining on my parade," she commented.

"I think you're the one who brought the rain," he replied sternly. Dean set Charleigh on her feet and then stood up. He turned toward Lisa. "Make yourself at home," he said. "I'm sure there's a lot of healthy, organic food in the refrigerator. You and Sam will have that in common." Lisa looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back and then turned toward Charleigh. "Let's go talk in your room." Charleigh frowned again.

"Are we just talking?" she asked worriedly.

"That depends," he replied firmly. She hoped he wasn't going to spank her again, especially with a house full of people. She glanced up at Sam worriedly, and then followed Dean into her room.


	55. Chapter 55

Hi All! I don't know where you all live, but here in NY it is COLD! I'm thinking I need to relocate someplace warmer! This weather is just obnoxious! Well anyway, due to the extreme cold, I have a work delay and was able to write a short update for you! Enjoy and please review!

Charleigh climbed onto her bed and sat against the headboard and pulled her feet knees up against her chest. Dean sat on the edge of her bed and shifted his body so he was facing her. Charleigh looked down at her knees and began to play with the wrinkles on her jeans. "I had a chance to talk to Sam last night about what happened," he began. "And I have to admit, I am shocked by your behavior, even for you," he stated sternly. Charleigh continued to look down at her knees. She knew it wasn't her best moment, but she also knew she had done worse before she even met Sam and Dean. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he asked sternly. "And I'd appreciate it if you look at me while I'm speaking." Charleigh raised her eyes to meet his.

"I'm sorry," she replied as tears came to her eyes. "I felt overwhelmed with everything that was happening. I was worried about you and Cas, and I was worried that Sam would decide that he likes Ben better than me." She paused and waited for Dean to say something, but he didn't, he continued to look at her sternly. "I didn't ask for this life," she pouted. "And I know I'm just going to disappoint everyone in the end. There are times when I think I just can't do this anymore." Charleigh looked back down at her knees.

"Yes, you can," began Dean sternly, "Hey, look at me." Charleigh looked back up at him and frowned. "Now, this whole thing sucks. I know. But you need to suck it up and you need to push through because that's what Winchesters' do. And when you get on board with that, the ride is a lot smoother." Dean closed his eyes pensively and then looked back at Charleigh. His voice was stern as he continued to lecture Charleigh. He hated when his Father had lectured him, but now he finally understood how difficult it was to be a parent, especially with the type of lifestyle they led. "You need to stop acting out for attention. It's not cute and it's not funny; you just end up getting yourself into trouble. If you are worried about something, you come to us. We'll do what we can to help; you should know that by now. And yeah, we like Ben, he's a good kid, but there's room in our lives for both of you and nothing will change how we feel about you." Charleigh sat back quietly and processed everything Dean had said. Then Dean began to speak again. "Now, I think Sam's punishment was sufficient and I don't think you should be punished twice for the same crime. But I meant what I said on the phone," he stated sternly. "Next time you do something that stupid it will be my belt." Charleigh swallowed hard as her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Yes, Dean," she frowned. "Am I forgiven now?"

"Yeah," he replied as she reached out and embraced her in a hug. He smiled as he released her. "You are definitely a Winchester, that's for sure," he stated proudly.

"And I'm proud to be one," she smiled. "Can you tell me what happened on the hunt?"

"Sure," he grinned. "Bobby, Dan, and Cole were on a nearby hunt so they ended up meeting me to help rescue Lisa," began Dean. "Your Uncle wasn't there, but there was another Dark Lighter by the name of George. We were able to destroy him with the apathe knife that Sam located for us. There was also a demon named Benny that we were able to destroy. Lisa was banged up pretty bad, but Cas was able to heal her."

"What happens to Lisa now?" she asked curiously.

"Well," he sighed. "Cas is going to find her and Ben a safe place to live and Bobby is working on documents to change their identities."

"Is she angry about what happened?" asked Charleigh.

"No," replied Dean. "She understands the risks of loving me."

"Can't she just stay here?" asked Charleigh.

"That wouldn't be fair to her or Ben," replied Dean sadly. "They should have the opportunity to live a normal life."

"Yeah, I suppose," frowned Charleigh. She wished Dean and Sam had the opportunity to live a normal life too. They sacrificed so much for everyone else, including her. She wondered if they would ever change anything about their lives if they had chance.

"Well, enough of this, let's go hang out with everyone while we can," Dean stated as he stood up from the bed. Charleigh climbed off and gave him one last hug.

"Thank you Dean," she smiled. Dean nodded his head and ruffled the hair on her head. They headed back into the Living Room to find Sam and Ben wrestling. Charleigh immediately joined in on the action to help her friend. She jumped on Sam's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dean took a seat on the couch next to Lisa and put his arm around her. She turned and smiled at him and he smiled back, knowing that soon he would have to say good bye for good in order to keep her safe.


	56. Chapter 56

Before going to bed, Sam checked over Charleigh's essay and was impressed with the information she had found, as well as with how she related it to her own life experiences. Eight o'clock rolled around and it was time for Ben and Charleigh to go to bed. The sleeping arrangements were going to be rough in the small cabin. They eventually decided that Dean and Lisa would take the double bed in Charleigh's room, Ben and Charleigh would take the single beds in the other room, and Sam would take the couch in the Living Room. Sam didn't mind the couch since he spent most nights there anyway. Charleigh and Ben headed into their room. Dean and Lisa came in to say goodnight first. "Dean, do you think I could stay home from school tomorrow?" asked Charleigh as he sat down on the edge of her bed. She knew it was better to ask Dean instead of Sam since Sam was a hard ass when it came to school.

"I'll talk to Sam," he replied as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Good night kiddo."

"Good night Dean," she replied. She turned over and closed her eyes.

"Good night Charleigh," said Lisa's voice. Charleigh turned back over to find Lisa standing over her bed and she smiled at up at her.

"Good night Lisa," said Charleigh. "I'm glad you're safe and Ben has his Mom back."

"Me too," she replied. "And thank you for making him feel at home while he was here." Charleigh nodded and then turned over and closed her eyes. She liked having Lisa and Ben at their house and hoped they wouldn't be leaving too soon. Sam came into their room soon after to say good night. He said good night to Ben and then went and sat on the edge of Charleigh's bed.

"So are we good?" he asked as he pulled the covers down away from her face.

"I suppose," replied Charleigh sarcastically as she looked up at him and smiled.

"All right, good night," he said as he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Good night Sam," she replied. Sam stood up and left the room. "Hey Ben," said Charleigh after Sam left the room. She peered over at him under his covers.

"Yeah?" he questioned as he looked her at her.

"There's some really cool stuff in the basement that I want to show you tomorrow," she stated.

"Ok, cool," he replied.

"I can hear you…go to sleep!" called Dean sternly from the other room. Charleigh laughed and then turned onto her side and closed her eyes. The next morning it was Monday and she was off to school. Sam wouldn't agree with letting her stay home without a legitimate excuse. Charleigh was disappointed and trudged around the house getting ready. Dean, Lisa, or Ben weren't awake yet, so Sam walked her to the bus stop. Her bus arrived home promptly at 2:30 that afternoon. Charleigh was excited to see Dean and Ben waiting for her. She rushed from the bus and ran over to them to greet them. "Hey kiddo. How was school?" asked Dean as he took her camouflage backpack from her.

"Fine," she replied. They walked back toward the cabin and Charleigh noticed the Impala was gone. "Where's Sam?" she asked curiously.

"He went to help Bobby on a hunt," replied Dean. "He should be back in a few days."

"Oh," replied Charleigh. "Will he be safe?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah, it's an easy case," replied Dean. "He'll be fine." Even though Dean told her that Sam would be fine, Charleigh couldn't help but worry. She sighed and followed Dean and Ben into the cabin. Charleigh was instantly greeted by the smell of something baking.

"Smells good," she commented as she headed into the kitchen to find Lisa mixing away at the counter. "What are you making?" asked Charleigh. Lisa turned around and smiled.

"Cookies," she replied. "Dean's been begging me to make something homemade."

"Figures," laughed Charleigh. "Can I have one?" she asked as she noticed a plate full of chocolate chip cookies on the table.

"Of course," she replied. "But don't eat too many, I'm making lasagna for dinner."

"Wow," commented Charleigh. "I think I'm going to like having you around." Ben entered the kitchen and grabbed a cookie. "Hey, do you want to go play in the basement?" asked Charleigh as she turned toward him.

"Sure," he replied. Charleigh headed into the Living Room to find Dean sitting in the recliner, with a beer in his hand, watching television. She smiled, thinking everything seemed so normal, like a regular family.

"Dean, is it ok if we play hide and go seek in the basement?" asked Charleigh.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied. "If you see any ghosts let me know." Charleigh laughed at his remark, but when she glanced at Ben she thought he looked nervous.

"Don't be a baby," she laughed. "There are no ghosts. Come on." Charleigh hurried down the basement stairs and headed to a corner of the room with several storage boxes. She pulled out an old box and flipped the cover open. "I found these the other day," she grinned as they peered down at several cigars. She pulled a lighter from her pocket. "Shall we?" she questioned.

"I don't know," hesitated Ben as he scanned the other boxes on the shelf. He pulled down another box and flipped the cover open. "Wow," he sighed as he peered down at a Beretta handgun. Charleigh impulsively reached for it and gathered it in her hands. "It's not a toy Charleigh," he commented. "Put it back." She aimed at the wall and pretended to shoot. She began to play around with it and aimed it at the cement wall again.

"Stop being a baby, geez," she sighed. She began twirling it around like a gunslinger and stuffed it into her jeans pocket. Ben laughed at her dramatic performance, but was still nervous that Dean would catch them with the gun. She held it up again and aimed it at the wall, pretending to shoot. She squeezed the trigger back and 'BOOM', the gun fired, echoing loudly through the basement as cement flew off of the wall. Both Charleigh and Ben fell to the ground holding their ears. Charleigh dropped the gun on the ground and it fired again, this time, just inches away from Ben's knee. "Holy shit!" cried Charleigh. The second he heard the gun go off, Dean was running for the basement. He arrived downstairs with Lisa close behind to find both kids on the floor on their knees, holding their ears. He spotted the gun in front of Charleigh and picked it up instantly and unloaded it.

"What the hell happened?!" he demanded angrily as he glared down at the two of them. They both uncovered their ears and peered up at Dean worriedly. "A gun?! Seriously, you two were playing with a gun?!" he demanded angrily as his jaw trembled with anger.

"It was my fault," whispered Ben quietly as his hands twitched nervously. Charleigh looked over at him with surprise.

"It was my fault, not Ben's," Charleigh snapped. Dean glared from Charleigh to Ben and then began to pace the room angrily. Lisa was speechless and didn't know how to respond. She knew Dean was angry and she didn't know whether she should step in to help or not. Dean stomped back over to the front of them. He reached down and grabbed Charleigh by the shoulder and lifted her to her feet, and then did the same to Ben.

"I know you both know better," he ground out angrily. "Get up those damn stairs right now and go to your rooms!" he ordered angrily. Ben immediately turned and ran past him Mom, and then up the stairs. However, Charleigh didn't move. "Charleigh," warned Dean. "You'd better get your ass up there now."

"Dean, wait," she pleaded. "Can I just tell you something?"

"No," he stated.

"It was an accident Dean," she pleaded.

"You were told to do something," he ground out. When Charleigh still didn't obey, Dean picked her up so her stomach was resting on his left elbow and then he delivered five hard smacks to her bottom. Charleigh cringed with each smack.

"I hate you!" she cried with tear filled eyes, when Dean placed her back on her feet.

"Get upstairs," he ordered again. Charleigh turned angrily and fled up the stairs and in to her bedroom.


	57. Chapter 57

**_LOL! Are you sick of my constant updates yet? What can I say, I'm a little OCD when he comes to writing. I hope you are all still enjoying! Have a nice day!_**

Dean was fuming as he continued to pace the floor in the basement. He turned toward Lisa who was still shocked herself and thankful that no one got hurt. "This has Charleigh written all over it," he commented, knowing full well that she was probably the instigator behind it. "I'm sorry she put Ben in danger," he said apologetically as he approached her and took her hands.

"I'm just thankful they are both safe," she replied.

"Yeah," sighed Dean. Dean released her hands and walked over to the where Charleigh and Ben were snooping in the boxes. He found the open box with the cigars, alongside the box that had the gun in it. "I guess we should have done a better job at child proofing the basement," he commented with annoyance. "I guess I never thought there would be loaded weapons down here," he said, blaming himself for the incident.

"Dean, it's not your fault," said Lisa. "They are both old enough to understand the dangers of playing with guns." She walked over to him and put her arm around him. "I support however you want to handle this," she said gently with reassurance.

"I'm tired," sighed Dean. "She is exhausting. She's so impulsive and doesn't think about the repercussions of her actions. It's one thing after another."

"Dean, she's 9," replied Lisa. "That's her job."

"Yeah, Sam keeps telling me the same thing," he replied with a slight smile. Lisa was glad he had calmed down a little and they both headed upstairs. "Charleigh, Ben, in the Living Room, now," ordered Dean loud enough so they could hear him from the bedroom. Ben instantly came out of the room, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Lisa immediately felt bad for him, but held back her motherly instinct to run to him and cuddle him. He sat down on the couch and waited for Charleigh, but she didn't appear. "Where is she?" demanded Dean impatiently.

"I'm right here," sighed Charleigh rudely as she entered the Living Room.

"Sit down," ordered Dean. Charleigh huffed as she sat down next to Ben. She glanced over at Ben and couldn't believe he was crying.

"We want to know what happened and we want the truth," Dean stated sternly as he hovered over the two of them with Lisa by his side.

"I found the gun and messed with it, end of story," Charleigh blurted out with annoyance. "You know, you really shouldn't keep loaded weapons where there are children. Someone could get hurt." Dean closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes up and glared down at Charleigh. She really knew how to bring his frustration to a whole new level.

"You know better than to touch guns!" he ground out angrily.

"I found the gun," interrupted Ben. "I was rummaging through the boxes and I found it."

"Who shot it?" demanded Dean. They were both silent. "I'm waiting," he sighed impatiently.

"Ugh, I did," sighed Charleigh. "Ben didn't even touch it. He kept telling me to put it down but I didn't listen. I was pretending I was in the wild west and I fired it. I didn't know it was loaded. It was an accident, I swear."

"Is that true Ben?" asked Dean sternly as he glared over at Ben. Ben looked over at Charleigh. He didn't want to see her get in trouble again. He contemplated lying to Dean in order to protect Charleigh. Lisa waited anxiously hoping that Ben responded honestly to Dean's question.

"No, I shot it," he blurted out. "Charleigh is just protecting me!"

"Ben!" gasped Lisa with surprise as she covered her mouth.

"No, no, he didn't," interjected Charleigh as she glared over at Ben. She jumped up from the couch and grabbed Dean's hands. "I did it Dean, not Ben. He shouldn't be in trouble. He just doesn't want to see me get in trouble again." She looked back at Ben. "Tell him Ben," she pleaded.

"Ok enough," sighed Dean angrily. "As far as I'm concerned, you're both in the wrong because one of you is lying and the other one was playing with a gun," he stated sternly. Dean turned toward Lisa. "Do you agree?"

"Yes," replied Lisa disappointedly as she looked at Ben. Dean was pretty certain that Charleigh was the culprit, but he was also angry that Ben continued to lie to him. Ben began to cry again. His Mom could be strict, but she had never given him a spanking or anything even close and he was pretty sure that Dean's punishment wouldn't be pleasant. He worriedly fidgeted with his hands. Charleigh, on the other hand, was still annoyed with the whole situation and still couldn't grasp the fact that she was in the wrong. She viewed it as just an accident because she had no way of knowing that the gun was loaded.

"All right," sighed Dean disappointedly. "Go to your room, Lisa and I will talk and discuss what the punishment will be." Once again, Ben obediently did what he was told and headed into the room he shared with Charleigh. "Is there a problem with your hearing?" asked Dean as he glared down at Charleigh.

"Please don't punish Ben," she pleaded. "This was all my fault."

"Charleigh, Ben has to take responsibility for his own actions," replied Lisa. "He made some pretty poor choices too." Charleigh sighed and stood up from the couch. She headed into the bedroom to find Ben crying on his bed.

"I'm sorry Ben," she said sadly as she sat on the edge of his bed. He sat up next to her.

"Dean's so mad," he frowned as he wiped a few tears from his face.

"Yeah, well, he always overreacts to everything," sighed Charleigh.

"Do you think he will spank me?" asked Ben.

"Probably," Charleigh replied, feeling bad that her actions put Ben in this position.

"I've never been spanked before," he sobbed. "Oh man, I hope my Mom doesn't let him."

"It's not that bad," replied Charleigh reassuringly. "I mean, it's embarrassing and it hurts like hell, but then it's over and done with. Trust me, I've already had my share and I'm still in one piece," she said trying to speak lightly of it. However, she herself, hated spankings too. She stood up and headed over to her bed. She kept rethinking what happened and she was determined to convince Dean that they shouldn't be punished for an accident. They both waited quietly for a long time until there was a knock on the door. They both sat up anxiously and watched as Dean and Lisa entered the room. Just as Dean was about to talk, his cell phone began ringing. He pulled it from his pocket and looked down to find Bobby's name on the screen.

"I have to take this," he stated as he stepped from the room.

"I'm sorry Mom," pleaded Ben from the other side of the room. Lisa went to respond, but Dean called her into the other room. They were gone for a few minutes and then came back to Charleigh and Ben.

"Sam's in trouble, he never made it to meet Bobby and I can't reach him," stated Dean worriedly. Suddenly, Cas appeared in the room.

"Are you ready Dean?" asked Cas. "I found the Impala."

"Yeah," he replied. "One sec." Dean directed his attention back to Charleigh and Ben. "You two need to listen to Lisa and I swear, if either of you step out of line, even once, there will be some severe repercussions. We'll deal with the gun incident when I get back. Charleigh, no school until I come back and no one leaves the house. Understood?" They both nodded their heads. Charleigh jumped from her bed and gave Dean a quick hug. "Bye kiddo," he said as he gently kissed her forehead. He then turned and kissed Lisa quickly and then grabbed onto Cas. "Let's go," he stated. In an instant, they were gone.


	58. Chapter 58

Everyone stood speechless for a few minutes. Then, Lisa finally spoke as she glanced from Charleigh to Ben and began to speak sternly. "I think after today's fiasco you two should get ready for bed and then we'll have a quick dinner."

"It's only 4 o'clock," protested Charleigh as she looked down at her watch. "Besides, I don't have to go to school tomorrow." Charleigh looked up at Lisa's expression and her face was firm.

"Get ready for bed," she repeated herself firmly. Charleigh huffed and turned and went back to her bed. She missed Sam and Dean already. She buried herself under her covers and started to cry. She had no idea where they were or what kind of trouble they were facing. Meanwhile, Ben got up and grabbed his pajamas from his suitcase and headed for the shower. He was taking Dean's threat seriously and he knew there was no way he was stepping out of line again. Lisa smiled as Ben hurried by and gave him a quick hug. She then headed over to Charleigh's bed and sat down on the edge. She pulled Charleigh's covers down away from her face. Charleigh rolled on her side and turned her back to Lisa. "I'm sure they'll be fine and they'll be back before we know it," said Lisa with gentle reassurance as she rubbed Charleigh's back. "I'm worried too."

"Yeah," she mumbled, still with her back to Lisa. "I don't want to be rude, but I just want to be left alone," mumbled Charleigh sadly. "I'll get in the shower once Ben is finished."

"Ok," replied Lisa. "I'm here if you need me." Lisa got up and left the room. Charleigh continued to cry quietly into her pillow. A little while later Ben came back into the room with his blue, flannel pajamas on. He glanced over at Charleigh who was still buried under her covers.

"I'm all set Charleigh," he said as he put his dirty clothes in a pile in the corner of the room.

"Ok," she mumbled.

"Are you ok?" he asked worriedly as he stood beside her bed.

"Just leave me alone," she replied with annoyance.

"Ok, sorry," he replied as he left her room and went to find his Mom in the kitchen. Charleigh pulled herself out of bed and headed into the shower.

Meanwhile, Sam found himself in an old motel room tied to a chair. He peered around at the torn and tattered flowered wallpaper and tried to think back to how he had gotten there. However, we had no recollection. He frantically tried to free himself. "There's no way you're getting out of those," stated a man's voice from behind him. The man stepped in front of him and Sam instantly knew who he was.

"Matthew," he sighed with disgust.

"Very good," replied Matthew, a middle aged man in his late thirties. His hair was so blonde that it almost seemed white and his eyes were a very light blue. He was dressed casually in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Sam thought his appearance was the complete opposite of what he pictured a Dark Lighter would look like. He almost looked angelic.

"What do you want?" demanded Sam.

"You have something I want," he replied calmly. "You see, Charleigh is the next in line to lead the Dark Lighters and I need to make sure she chooses appropriately. I made sure her childhood was consumed with darkness in order to steer her in the direction of her destiny. My poor sister didn't have a chance. I made sure her life was hell."

"You bastard," Sam growled angrily. "She's just a kid."

"A kid with big shoes to fill," he replied. "And soon I will need her so I can start training her."

"We'll destroy you before that happens," Sam threatened.

"Well that's the thing Sammy," he growled. "We are different from White Lighters and much more powerful. We can teleport from place to place by orbing. We have crossbows, which we can summon into our hands at any time." Sam watched as a crossbow suddenly appeared in his hands and he held up an arrow in front of Sam. "Our crossbow arrows are coated with a special type of poison that is especially lethal to White Lighters and Angels. As the leader of the Dark Lighters, I possess the touch of death; this allows me to burn someone to death if I can produce enough anger." He paused and smiled. "If Charleigh should decide to choose the path of a White Lighter, I possess the ability to sense a White Lighter's presence and I will be able to locate her wherever she is. Our sole duty is to destroy the White Lighters and Angels and I will destroy Charleigh if I have to. I destroyed my own sister."

"Never," replied Sam angrily. "You will NEVER have her!" Matthew stepped closer to Sam and placed his hand on his leg.

"We are able to manipulate the minds of humans and make them believe things that they wouldn't normally believe with just a simple touch," he stated evilly as he closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Sam was finally able to release himself from the ropes and lunged at Matthew only to be thrown against the motel room wall.

Suddenly, there was a white light and the motel door flew off of its hinges and Castiel stepped inside the room with Dean and Bobby behind him. Matthew instantly raised his crossbow and pointed it toward Castiel. "Cas, get out of here!" yelled Sam as he pulled himself off of the floor. "His arrows will kill you!" Matthew released an arrow and Dean quickly pushed Cas out of the way, only to have the arrow connect with his shoulder. He fell backward onto the ground outside the motel room. Bobby lunged toward Matthew with the apathe knife, but was knocked against the wall, the knife falling from his hand. Matthew raised his crossbow at Castiel again, but Castiel disappeared quickly. Sam took the opportunity and picked up the knife and flung it into Matthew's back. The knife sank into the small of his back.

"Silly boys," laughed Matthew as he reached around and pulled the knife from his back. "This won't destroy me." Matthew began laughing violently. "I will win! Charleigh will lead the Dark Lighters some day!" he laughed and then suddenly disappeared.

"Dean!" called Sam as he ran toward Dean, still laying on the ground, holding his shoulder with the arrow still stuck in it. Sam yanked the arrow out and immediately put pressure on Dean's shoulder. Sam moved his hand quickly and examined the wound. He was shocked when he saw the amount of blood. "It's not too bad," commented Sam, not wanting to worry Dean. "Bobby, can you see if they have a first aid kit at the office?!" called Sam anxiously.

"I got this," stated Cas as he reappeared and placed his hand on Dean.

"Oh thank God," sighed Sam, knowing that the wound was bad. Minutes later Dean sat up from his position on the ground. "Are you all right?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," replied Dean as he stood up and looked into the motel room. "What happened to Matthew?"

"He disappeared," replied Sam disappointedly. "Apparently, the apathe isn't effective against him."

"A blood relative has to destroy him," replied Cas.

"Awesome," sighed Dean sarcastically, knowing that meant Charleigh. They headed back to the Impala and took Bobby back to his vehicle. Sam filled them in on his conversation with Matthew on the way. They followed Bobby to a nearby town to help him with the case that Sam was supposed to help him, but never made it to. There were a few vampires terrorizing the town that they planned to take care of that evening and then head home. It was an easy hunt and it wouldn't take them long.

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, Charleigh finished her shower and put on her favorite horse pajamas. She headed into the kitchen for dinner. Ben was sitting at the table with Lisa eating a plate of lasagna. "Can I have some?" asked Charleigh as she sat down in between them.

"Sure," replied Lisa as she put a serving on a plate for Charleigh. They sat in silence and ate. When they were almost finished, Lisa began speaking. "I know you both know how dangerous guns can be," she began sternly, "and I'm shocked that you thought it was acceptable to play with one. One of you could've gotten hurt or even worse, killed." Charleigh glanced over at Ben and could see tears filling his eyes.

"Geez Ben, stop crying about it," sighed Charleigh.

"Unlike you, he feels bad about it," snapped Lisa as she glared over at Charleigh.

"As far as I'm concerned, there shouldn't have been a loaded gun where we had access to it," Charleigh ground out angrily.

"That's true," replied Lisa sternly. "But you shouldn't have touched it. You should've went and got Dean." Charleigh was shocked at how stern Lisa was being. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Charleigh impulsively popped up from her chair and turned toward Lisa.

"You're not my Mother!" she declared angrily. Ben's eyes widened in surprise. "So you have no right talking to me like I'm your child! You may be able to make Ben cry with your words, but they mean nothing to me." Tears came to Charleigh's eyes at the mention of her Mother. She wished her Mother had cared as much as Lisa did; she watched her with Ben and saw what a Mother was really supposed to be like. She felt bad immediately after her outburst, but when she looked at Lisa, she looked hurt. "I'm sorry," said Charleigh apologetically, and then took off quickly toward her bedroom. Once again, she buried herself in her covers and sobbed quietly into her pillow. Lisa headed into her room about an hour later to find that she was asleep. She wasn't angry with her. She knew she had a lot of anger toward her Mother. She kissed her gently on the forehead and figured they could talk in the morning.


	59. Chapter 59

The next morning Charleigh woke up to her cell phone ringing. She smiled when she saw Sam's name flashing on the screen. "Sam!" she said excitedly as she placed the phone to her ear.

"Hey Charleigh," said Sam from the other end. "We just wanted to let you know that we are all safe. Dean and I will head home this afternoon; we'll probably arrive in the evening, around dinner time."

"What happened Sam?" asked Charleigh curiously. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, we'll tell you about it when we get there," replied Sam. "Dean wants to know if you are behaving for Lisa?" Charleigh was silent for a moment when she thought back to how she treated Lisa the night before. "Charleigh?" questioned Sam. She could hear Dean's voice booming in the background, but she couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'll see you both later." She clicked her phone shut and looked over at Ben who was stirring under his covers. She got out of bed and headed into the kitchen to find Lisa at the table with a cup of coffee. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was still wearing her pajamas. Charleigh immediately felt bad when Lisa looked up at her. "Sam called," mentioned Charleigh as she shifted nervously from one foot to another. "They'll be home around dinner time." Lisa smiled at Charleigh's statement. She too had been nervous about their safety. Charleigh hesitantly went and sat at the table with her. "I'm sorry I was so rude to you yesterday," she said. "I just get really emotional and angry when I think about my Mom."

"I know, I forgive you," she replied kindly as she took Charleigh's hands that were resting on the table. "I'm sorry about your Mother."

"Thanks," replied Charleigh. "I wish you and Ben could stay here with us. It would be nice to have you around."

"I know," replied Lisa. "But every time I think it may work, I'm quickly reminded of the life that Ben and I would have to live; plus Dean and Sam don't need the added responsibility of caring for us." Charleigh watched as tears came to Lisa's eyes. She knew that Lisa loved Dean and wished there was a way that it could work, but she knew exactly what Lisa meant. She stood up from the table and gave Lisa a hug. "Thanks Charleigh," she said gently. "So, how about some breakfast?" she asked as she released her.

"Sounds good," replied Charleigh. Lisa looked at Charleigh for a moment and smiled. She thought she was a good kid, but with a lot of baggage. She knew Sam and Dean were doing a great job with her, but she too wished she could stay around for Charleigh. Ben came in and joined them for breakfast and was happy to see that his Mom and Charleigh had made up. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful and the kids were restless from being pent up in the house for so long. Lisa had them help her prepare dinner and then finally, around 5pm, Sam and Dean returned. Charleigh ran to Sam first and gave him a hug and then went to Dean. She was happy they were both home and safe. They all crowded at the small kitchen table and ate dinner. Afterward, they gathered in the Living Room to talk.

"So, did they behave themselves?" asked Dean as he looked at Ben and Charleigh who were sitting on the couch. Charleigh's eyes immediately dashed to Lisa who was sitting on the floor.

"Yeah, they were good," replied Lisa as she made eye contact with Charleigh. Charleigh sighed quietly. She knew Dean would be pissed if he found out that she had been disrespectful to Lisa.

"Good," replied Dean. "Now we have some bigger issues to discuss," he stated with more sternness to his voice. Sam entered the Living Room and took a seat in the recliner as Dean continued to stand in front of Charleigh and Ben. "Before I left, we were discussing the incident with the gun," he began sternly as both kids looked away from his grueling eye contact. "Lisa and I decided that you both should be punished." Ben's eyes wandered over to Lisa who just shrugged her shoulders. "Charleigh," Dean began sternly as he looked down at her. Charleigh looked up at him pleadingly. "Go to your usual room and wait for me. Ben, you go to the other room," he continued as he looked at Ben who already had tears in his eyes. Dean already knew he was going to go easier on Ben since he was pretty certain that Charleigh was the mastermind behind the operation. Both kids reluctantly stood up and went to their separate rooms. Dean turned and looked at Lisa behind him. "Are you still sure about this?" he asked.

"Yeah," replied Lisa. "He shouldn't have lied." Dean nodded his head. He headed into Ben's room first to Ben sitting on the Ben, crying already.

"Hey buddy," he began as he sat down beside him. "Listen, I know you were just trying to protect Charleigh, but you shouldn't have lied to me," his voice was calm, but stern. "This was a pretty serious incident and someone could've gotten seriously hurt."

"I know," replied Ben sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Me too buddy, let's get this over with," replied Dean as he reached for Ben and pulled him over his lap. Ben frantically grabbed at the bedspread and tucked his face against Dean's thigh. Dean delivered 15 hard smacks to Ben's bottom until Ben was sobbing uncontrollably over his lap. He lifted Ben onto his feet and placed him in front of him. "Don't lie for her again," Dean stated sternly. "She needs to take responsibility for her own actions, not you."

"Ok," sobbed Ben as he rubbed his bottom. "I'm sorry Dean."

"I know," replied Dean gently as he gave him a quick hug. "All right, it's over and done with; you can stop worrying about it now."

"Ok Dean," replied Ben.

"You can go see your Mom if you want," Dean stated as he stood up from the bed. "I know she's probably worried about you." Ben grinned and hurried from the room and out to his Mom. Lisa was crying a little bit herself as she embraced Ben in a hug. Dean headed into Charleigh's room next. He found Charleigh lying on her bed with her game boy. He sat down on the edge of bed and took the game boy from her hands. "Come on, let's get this over with," he said sternly. Charleigh sat up and looked pleadingly at Dean.

"This is your fault Dean," she stated angrily.

"That's enough," Dean ground out angrily.

"Who the hell leaves a loaded gun just lying around?" she demanded. That is it for Dean. He reached for Charleigh and pulled her across his lap. He quickly pulled down her sweatpants and then her underwear, exposing her bare bottom. Charleigh frantically tried to free herself from Dean's grip, but couldn't.

"I'm tired of the attitude," he ground out angrily as he spanked her once. "You do not touch guns." He spanked her again and then continued to reign down spanks on her bottom until she was sobbing into her comforter. Dean stopped, pulled her underwear and sweatpants back up, and placed her on her feet. Charleigh continued to sob and rubbed her bottom. "We're not done," he stated sternly. Dean stood up and began to undo the belt buckle on his jeans. Charleigh watched in horror as he pulled his belt off. She couldn't believe he was going through with his threat.

"Please Dean," she sobbed.

"I want you to bend over the side of the bed," he ordered sternly. Charleigh contemplated running, but knew it was inevitable so she obediently bent over and grasped the comforter while she buried her face. Dean felt bad, but he knew he had to make an impression. He raised his belt and connected with Charleigh's bottom. Charleigh cried out loudly, shocked at how much it hurt. He repeated two more times and then put his belt back on. Charleigh continued to sob into the comforter until Dean lifted her from the position and took a seat on the bed and placed her gently on his lap. "I don't ever want to have to do that again," he sighed. Charleigh buried her head in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry Dean," she sobbed as Dean held her tightly in an embrace. "I promise, I won't do it again. Ever."


	60. Chapter 60

_**Just a thought- would you guys prefer longer chapters and less frequent updates or frequent updates and shorter chapters?**_

_**Also, yay for Season 11 of Supernatural! I hope it goes on forever! I don't know what I'll do without it!**_

_**Enjoy and please review! :-)**_

Once Charleigh calmed down, Dean placed her on the bed next to him. She immediately crawled up to her pillow and laid down on her side. "Sam and I have more we need to talk about with you," Dean stated as he shifted his body in her direction.

"Oh great," sighed Charleigh. She thought for sure he must be referring to the attitude that she gave to Lisa. "I told her I was sorry," she pouted. Dean looked at her with confusion.

"Lisa?" he questioned sternly. Charleigh immediately regretted opening her mouth.

"No, nothing," she mumbled as she buried her face in her pillow.

"Spill it," Dean ordered sternly.

"I may have given Lisa some attitude while you were gone," she replied worriedly. Dean's face grew stern again as he stared over at her. "But I apologized and I won't do it again, I promise," she pleaded. Charleigh grew worried as he scooted closer to her. "Come on Dean, don't you think I've been punished enough?" she questioned worriedly.

"That's for me to decide," he replied firmly. Charleigh sighed and closed her eyes, then reopened them to Dean with his finger pointing at her. "You're disrespectful attitude needs to stop. I won't tolerate it anymore. Do you understand? Everyone around here treats with respect and you need to do the same."

"You call this respect?" she questioned with annoyance. Dean's frustration level began to rise again and he began to shake his head at her comment.

"No, I call this punishment," he ground out angrily. "If you would learn to make responsible decisions then you wouldn't find yourself in this situation so often." Charleigh retreated and nodded her head. She really didn't want to push him any further for fear that he would spank her again.

"I'm sorry," she replied.

"If I ever hear you speak disrespectfully to Lisa again, it will be an immediate spanking right then and there," he warned sternly. "Are we clear?"

"Yes," she pouted. Knowing her, that was going to be difficult. She didn't mean to be disrespectful, she just didn't think before she spoke. She thought her mouth got her into a lot of trouble.

"I want you to get ready for bed and then Sam and I will be in to talk," Dean stated sternly as he stood up from her bed.

"Ok," she replied. She watched as Dean left the room and then went to her dresser and pulled out her dog pajamas. She undressed, and then stood on her bed so she could see herself in the mirror on her dresser. She turned and examined her bottom in the mirror. It was a dark pink color and Charleigh thought it hurt a lot worse than it looked. She went to jump off of her bed, but got her foot stuck in her comforter and stumbled off the bed onto her hands and knees on the floor. "Ow," she sighed. There was a knock on her door and then Dean poked his head it.

"Charleigh?" he questioned. "You all right?"

"I'm ok," she called from behind the door. "I just fell."

"Ok," he replied as he closed the door. Charleigh pulled herself up and put her pajamas on. She cringed as she pulled the bottoms over her behind. She thought for sure it felt like the worst spanking Dean had given her yet and she still wasn't convinced that she was to blame. But she knew better than to open her mouth again. She headed into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, then combed her hair. Her hair was more snarly than usual due to her tears that dried onto it and she cringed as she tried to pull the comb through.

"Need help?" asked Lisa, stopping outside the bathroom door. Charleigh had left the door open and Lisa could see her struggling inside.

"Sure, thank you," replied Charleigh as she handed her the comb.

"Let me go get my brush," suggested Lisa. She hurried away and then returned with her hairbrush. "This may be easier." She gently began to rake the brush through Charleigh's hair. Charleigh was relieved that it was much less painful. "You have beautiful hair," commented Lisa.

"Thanks," she replied as she looked back at Lisa in the mirror. "Is Ben all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's fine," replied Lisa. "He's already in bed."

"Is he mad at me?" asked Charleigh worriedly.

"Of course not," replied Lisa as she gave Charleigh a smile. "He knows what he did wrong." Charleigh grinned back at Lisa. After a few more brushes, Charleigh's hair was snarl free and Lisa smiled approvingly. Dean headed past the bathroom and stopped when he saw the two of them inside. He grinned and thought about how wonderful it would be for Charleigh to have Lisa in her life. He then quickly dismissed the idea, knowing full well that it would never be possible.

"Charleigh, Sam and I will be in the Living Room," Dean interrupted. Lisa turned toward Dean and he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Charleigh blushed.

"I'm all set," she replied as she headed out of the bathroom and followed Dean into the Living Room. Sam was sitting in the recliner, so Charleigh grabbed a pillow from the couch and decided to lay on the floor on her stomach. Dean took a seat on the couch beside her. Sam looked down at her and thought about his conversation with Matthew. It saddened him that her life was so complicated and was only going to get worse. "What's wrong Sam?" she asked worriedly as she looked up at the expression on his face.

"I met Matthew," he stated. Charleigh's eyes widened in surprise. "He's a really bad man," commented Sam. "And it sounds like as soon as you start puberty, he's going to stop at nothing in trying to take you away from us."

"Can he be destroyed?" asked Charleigh.

"Only by a blood relative," replied Dean.

"I'll do it," stated Charleigh. "Let me do it!" she pleaded.

"Now hold on," Dean stated. "That will be a last resort. Cas is looking into it to make sure there isn't another way." Dean paused. "There has to be another way because I just can't jeopardize your future like that."

"I can do it Dean," she said bravely.

"Charleigh, he is so powerful that I'm not sure if you can," sighed Dean worriedly. Charleigh frowned; she hated to see them worried about her. "But anyway, we just wanted to keep you in the loop and let you know what is going on. You're not in any immediate danger, but you will be someday. We think Matthew was just trying to get our attention, that's why he kidnapped Lisa and then Sam. Now he finally has our attention and we know what his intentions are. We know in a few years that he will be coming for you and he will stop at nothing."

"I'm sorry," frowned Charleigh. "I'm sorry I was thrown into your lives like this and I'm sorry that I've caused so many problems."

"Come here," said Sam as he extended his arms. Charleigh got up from the floor and went to Sam. He embraced her in a hug and pulled her onto his lap. "We're not sorry, so you shouldn't be," Sam said reassuringly. "You're our little sister and we will do anything for you."

"That's what worries me," sighed Charleigh. "I would never forgive myself if something happens to either of you." Dean sighed, he knew he could tell her something differently, but he also knew how she felt. He knew if something happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself either.

"In the meantime, we will be planning our attack," Dean stated confidently. "We will defeat him."

"I know," replied Charleigh. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that they wouldn't persevere.


	61. Chapter 61

The next morning, Charleigh was off to school as usual. Before she left, Cas stopped by briefly to let Dean know that he would have a safe place for Lisa to live in a few weeks. He found an area in Virginia that had no demon activity within a 100 mile radius. He said the current tenants were moving out and the owners had to do some work before the apartment was ready. Cas gave the information to Dean so that Lisa could research the area and the school district to see if it was acceptable to her. "Thank you," said Dean with mixed emotions. Cas quickly disappeared and Dean looked down at Charleigh who was waiting by the door with her backpack. "Ready?" he questioned as he stuffed the paper in his pocket.

"Yeah," she replied. She looked up at his face and could see the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry Dean," she said as she reached over and gave him a quick hug.

"It's for the best," he commented as he took his coat off of the rack and put it on. Dean walked Charleigh down to the bus stop. The roads were still covered in snow from a small snowstorm the previous night.

"Do you think we could go sledding later?" Charleigh asked curiously as she climbed up a small snow bank at the bus stop.

"Possibly," replied Dean, thinking that it sounded like a good idea since everyone had been cooped up in the small cabin for so long. The bus arrived and Charleigh was soon on her way to school. Dean headed back to the cabin to find Lisa at the kitchen table with her morning coffee. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was pulled pack in a ponytail. Dean couldn't help but stare since he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. "Good morning," he said as he grabbed himself a cup from the dish drainer.

"Good morning," she smiled. Dean fished around in his pocket and pulled out the paper that Cas had given to him.

"This is from Cas," he said as he sat down at the table with her. "He found a place for you. Looks like it should be ready in about 3 weeks, mid February." Lisa took the paper from his hand and studied it for a moment.

"Ah, Virginia," she said approvingly.

"He said to make sure the area was acceptable to you," Dean stated. Lisa placed the paper on the table and turned to look at Dean. She reached for his hands and then smiled.

"It's going to be hard to leave," she commented sadly.

"I know," he replied disappointedly. "I wish there was another way."

"Me too," she replied as tears came to her eyes. Later that morning they headed to the store with Ben and picked out a sled for everyone, as well as snow pants, gloves, and hats. Dean was excited to see Charleigh's reaction when he told her they were going sledding. When the bus arrived that afternoon, Sam was waiting for Charleigh. They headed back to the cabin where everyone was waiting in the Living Room. Charleigh looked curiously at everyone dressed in their snow pants.

"Are we doing what I think we're doing?" she asked excitedly.

"Yup," replied Dean as he handed her a pair of snow pants. "We got the supplies today."

"Homework as soon as we get home," interjected Sam. Charleigh looked at him and laughed. She knew it was driving him crazy that Dean was changing the routine. She excitedly got ready and they headed to a nearby hill. It was Charleigh's first time sledding and she was sure it wasn't going to be her last since she thought it was a lot of fun. It made her happy to see everyone else happy and enjoying themselves. Dean was happy too that he could provide the kids with some kind of enjoyment. After sledding, they headed to a nearby diner to grab some dinner.

"Ben's going to be joining you at school for the next three weeks," Lisa stated to Charleigh once they were seated at a booth. Charleigh looked from Lisa and then to Ben.

"Really? You guys are staying for another 3 weeks?" she questioned happily. Dean felt bad as he watched Charleigh's excitement. He knew saying good bye was going to be a lot harder after three weeks of being together. "That's great news." Lisa and Ben both smiled at her. Dean took Lisa's hand from under the table and she turned and smiled at him.

"How was school?" asked Sam after they ordered their food.

"Not so good," she replied as she looked down at her fork and napkin. Everyone's attention was soon focused on her and she blushed awkwardly.

"Charleigh?" questioned Sam firmly.

"I failed my Social Studies test," she replied disappointedly. "With everything that was going on, I forgot to study. She's going to let me do a make-up test tomorrow."

"Well, I guess we know what we'll be doing this evening," replied Sam. Charleigh looked up at Sam and frowned.

"Are you mad?" she asked.

"No," replied Sam optimistically. "There's been a lot going on. We'll study tonight." Charleigh grinned and was relieved to get that off of her chest. She thought for sure Sam would be disappointed. "I'm leaving tomorrow and headed out of town for a few days," Sam stated. "So if you need help with your schoolwork, you can ask Lisa."

"I'm not completely helpless," commented Dean from across the table. Both Charleigh and Sam laughed at his comment. Dean rolled his eyes and laughed himself.

"Where are you going?" asked Charleigh curiously.

"I'm going to meet Lenora and she's going to educate me on the White Lighters and the Dark Lighters," replied Sam. "And hopefully tell me where I can find more White Lighters."

"Oh," replied Charleigh just as their food arrived. She couldn't help but worry about Sam's safety. She really hated that they had to deal with her problem. "Last name you went out alone, you were kidnapped," mentioned Charleigh worriedly.

"If Matthew wanted to hurt me, he would have," replied Sam reassuringly. "He just wanted to make sure we got his message."

"Ok," replied Charleigh, still not convinced. That evening, Charleigh and Sam studied for her Social Studies test well past her bedtime. Charleigh was still not confident with the material when they had stopped. Math and English came easy to her, but Social Studies was a lot of memorizing and that was difficult for her. After Sam put her to bed, Charleigh thought back to the strategy she used at her old school and that was to write the dates and facts on her hand. She grabbed her study sheet and decided it was in her best interest to be more prepared so she began scribbling information onto her hand.

"What are you doing?" asked Ben as he peered over at her from his bed.

"Just making sure I have a backup plan if I can't remember the information on the test tomorrow," she replied.

"Charleigh, you do know that's cheating?" questioned Ben worriedly.

"Only if I get caught," she replied as she continued.

"Don't you think you've already gotten into enough trouble?" questioned Ben.

"Just mind your own business Mr. Goody Two shoes," she snapped. Ben was disappointed in Charleigh and knew her little fiasco's never ended well. Charleigh looked up and watched as Ben turned on his side, putting his back to her. She then felt bad for snapping at him. She thought of Ben as her conscience that she never listened to. She sighed and then continued with her plan. The next morning, both Ben and Charleigh were off on the bus. Ben was excited for his first day, but was also worried about the outcome for Charleigh. He contemplated telling Dean before they had left, but decided that Charleigh would never forgive him. Afterward, Dean brought Sam to a rental car place to get a car for his trip to see Lenora. Sam was hopeful that he would get some helpful information.

At school, Ben immediately adjusted well. During recess, the teacher had Charleigh remain inside for her test along with a few other students. Charleigh went through the test and answered all the questions she knew confidently. When she looked back, it was only about half the questions, so she began to panic. She hated failing things. She looked up at her teacher who was busy grading papers and then opened her hand and began to cheat. She knew it was cheating, but that was the least of her worries. She focused intently on what she was doing and then heard her name called.

"Charleigh, please come up here," her teacher stated calmly. She quickly tried to rub her hands on her jeans and then stood up and approached her teacher. Charleigh stood anxiously by her teacher's desk. "Let me see your hands," the teacher requested gently. Charleigh slowly put out her hands and turned them over. The information she had written was slightly smeared, but some of it could still be seen. Charleigh lowered her head and wished she had listened to her conscience (Ben). "Charleigh," sighed the teacher disappointedly. "Why would you do this?"

"I just couldn't remember it," replied Charleigh. "My brother and I studied for a couple hours last night and I still couldn't get it."

"Well, this is cheating," the teacher stated.

"Really?" replied Charleigh sarcastically. "Well maybe you shouldn't give us so many facts to remember. This IS ONLY 3rd grade. Don't you think 25 facts and dates are a lot?" she snapped. Her teacher sighed in disappointment.

"I was going to keep this between us," began her teacher. "But since you don't know how to give a respectful answer, then I guess I'll have to call your brothers."

"Dammit," mumbled Charleigh. "I'm sorry." As they were speaking, the class came back from recess. Ben looked at Charleigh curiously and realized by the look on her face that she must've gotten caught. Realizing Sam was away, Charleigh was a little more optimistic. School wasn't Dean's thing and she knew he wouldn't be as upset about it.

"I'll be contacting them this evening," she replied sternly.


	62. Chapter 62

**_I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger...please review! You guys are so awesome and way too kind! Thank you for reading! :-)_**

Ben took a seat next to Charleigh on the school bus. "How'd the test go?" asked Ben.

"Fine," replied Charleigh with annoyance. She wondered if she should prepare Dean before the phone call came or if she should wait to see if the phone call really came. She hoped that her teacher would forget.

"Did you pass?" asked Ben.

"What is this? 20 questions?" she snapped. Charleigh shifted her body so she was facing the window and her back was to Ben.

"Charleigh, what is your problem?" he demanded. She turned back around fiercely to face Ben and caught him by surprise. He jumped back and glared over at her.

"I was caught, all right, you were right!" she huffed angrily. "If I even hear you say, 'I told you so', I will scream!"

"Oh boy," sighed Ben. He wanted to feel sorry for her, but he knew she was in the wrong and he warned her not to do it. The bus stopped at the bus stop and both Lisa and Dean were waiting. Charleigh observed Dean and she didn't think he looked angry. He and Lisa were talking and laughing so that was a good sign for her. They both headed off of the bus and ran toward Lisa and Dean.

"Hi guys," said Dean as he pat Charleigh's head and then Ben's.

"Hey," replied Ben.

"Hi," mumbled Charleigh.

"How was school?" asked Lisa.

"Ok," replied Ben.

"Fine," replied Charleigh as she kicked a tuft of snow on the ground. They headed back toward the cabin and Charleigh hoped Dean didn't ask about her test. They went inside and Charleigh immediately took her shoes off and went to the kitchen to do her homework. Dean followed her into the kitchen, sensing there was something off about her.

"Hey kiddo," he said as he sat down at the table across from her. Charleigh remained focused on her homework. She knew if she looked up at him, then he would know there was something wrong. "I have to head out after dinner and make some money. Lisa's in charge. Can I count on you to do what you're told?"

"Yes," replied Charleigh, still not looking up.

"Charleigh, look at me," Dean asked gently. She swallowed hard and then looked up at him. "Is something bothering you?"

"Just worried about Sam," she replied, thinking quickly.

"Sam will be fine and home before you know it," Dean replied reassuringly. Dean stood up from the chair and took off his coat. Charleigh noticed his cell phone in his coat pocket and she quickly devised a plan in her head. She watched as Dean went back to the Living Room and hung his coat up. She nodded her head in approval to her plan. Lisa was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Charleigh finished up her homework.

"Can you check my homework?" asked Charleigh.

"Of course," replied Lisa as she sat down across from her. Lisa scanned her Math homework and then her ELA homework. "These look great," she smiled approvingly. "How did your test go?"

"It was fine," lied Charleigh. "I hope I passed."

"I'm sure you did," replied Lisa as she stood up to finish dinner. Charleigh headed into the Living Room to find Ben and Dean on the couch playing a game on her game boy. She felt a pang of jealousy watching them play together.

"Can I play?" she asked. Ben looked up at her and grinned. He figured it was a good time for her to tell Dean about her test.

"Yeah, I have homework to do," he said as he got up and headed into the kitchen with his Mom. Charleigh sat down next to Dean and continued playing the game Ben started. About twenty minutes later, Lisa called them into the kitchen for dinner.

"I just have to run to the bathroom first," replied Charleigh as she stood up from the couch. She headed toward the bathroom and then peeked around the corner and watched as Dean vacated the Living Room. She quickly ran over to his coat and pulled out his cell phone from the pocket. She ran back into her bedroom and looked to see if her teacher had called yet. When she didn't see any missed calls, she turned the ringer off and hid his phone under her pillow. She figured if her teacher called, she could delete the message before Dean got it and then she could put it between the cushions of the couch before she went to bed. She figured it was the perfect plan. After dinner, Dean announced that he was headed out. He said his good byes and Charleigh was relieved that he didn't notice his phone was missing. Lisa allowed them to watch a show before getting ready for bed. Before the show, Charleigh headed into the bedroom and took a look at Dean's phone and noticed there was a missed call and a voicemail. She quickly listened to the voicemail and realized it was her teacher and then deleted it. She headed back into the Living Room and sneakily stuffed his phone between the cushions.

While they were watching television, there was a knock on the door. Both Charleigh and Ben glanced at Lisa. She quickly turned the television off and they all waited quietly. There came another knock, only louder and with more purpose this time. "Go downstairs," whispered Lisa worriedly. "I'm going to call Dean." Charleigh gulped knowing Dean didn't have his phone. There came another knock, even louder. "Let's go," she said frantically as she hurried them downstairs. She closed and locked the basement door behind them. They ran down the stairs and locked themselves inside a small closet. They pushed several jugs of water up against the door. "Dean's not answering," panicked Lisa. They heard a crashing noise upstairs. Lisa wrapped her arms around Charleigh and Ben and held them tightly. She repeatedly tried to call Dean and Charleigh felt horrible. She knew Dean wasn't going to answer and it was all her fault. She wanted to break down, but she knew she had to hold it together for Lisa and Ben. They heard footsteps creaking above them. Charleigh could feel Lisa's arm shaking on her shoulders. She reached up and grabbed Lisa's hand and then looked at Ben. He had an emotionless expression on his face and he too was shaking. Charleigh pulled away from Lisa and grabbed a box from a shelf above them.

"Here,' she said as she handed it to Lisa. "I found a gun in here too. I don't know if it's loaded though." Lisa popped the top off of the box and looked the small gun over. Remembering some basic gun skills that Dean taught her, she checked it and was relieved to see that it was loaded. She pointed the gun at the door and trembled with fear. The footsteps became louder and it sounded as if there was more than one person upstairs. Charleigh grabbed onto Ben and they climbed as far as they could into the corner of the closet. They heard another crashing noise. "That was the door to the basement," panicked Lisa as she trembled uncontrollably. Charleigh knew if someone opened the door to the closet that Lisa wouldn't even be able to aim properly. She contemplated taking over for Lisa. They heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Lisa began shaking even more rapidly as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Want me to do it?" asked Charleigh calmly.

"No, no, no, I got this," she replied as she continued to shake violently. Suddenly, there was a knock on the closet door.


	63. Chapter 63

_**Hi Guys! Sorry, its not an update, but I will have one this evening (I hope)!**_

_**I just had a question, would you prefer that I continue to keep Charleigh at 9 for a while longer or should I fast forward a couple of years? Thoughts, opinions, suggestions? Thanks! **_

"Open the door," stated a familiar voice to Charleigh, but she couldn't make out who it belonged to. Charleigh watched as the gun in Lisa's hand continued to bob up and down. She reached out and grabbed it abruptly from her.

"I got this," Charleigh whispered confidently. Lisa nodded her head and climbed toward the back of the closet with Ben. She didn't like the idea of Charleigh defending them, but she knew her own aim wouldn't be effective at all. Charleigh felt her heart pounding in her chest and sweat began to form on her forehead. She jumped when a gun fired several times outside the door; then, the closet door slowly creaked open. Charleigh peered out and suddenly Cole appeared in the small opening. Charleigh gasped in surprise. "Cole?" she questioned. She noticed a tattoo of a small tree on his cheek that she had never seen before. She raised her gun and pointed it at him. "Why are you here?" she asked worriedly, sensing something wasn't right with him.

"I'm here for you," he stated. "I have been recruited as a tracker and you are my mission. Lucky for us both, my Dad told me where you were hiding; I was the perfect candidate for the job. Now, I will return you to your Grandparents where you belong."

"Are you a Dark Lighter?" questioned Charleigh.

"No, but I'm on their payroll and you are a very high paying job," he replied. Charleigh remembered back to what Cas had said about Dark Lighters being able to manipulate humans into thinking whatever they wanted them to think. She figured one of them must've gotten to Cole and this saddened her. Cole was their friend or at least he used to be.

"Please Cole, you know me, we're friends," she pleaded. He lifted his shotgun with his right hand and pointed it at Lisa and Ben. Then, he held up a pair of handcuffs in his left hand.

"These are for you," he growled. Cole was their friend and Charleigh knew she wouldn't be able to shoot him.

"Ok, ok, don't hurt them," she replied bravely as she stepped from the closet and closed the door behind her. "I'll go with you." She lowered the gun to the floor and then stood up and put her hands in front of her. She really hoped Cas or Dean would make an appearance soon.

"Charleigh, no!" gasped Lisa as she pushed the door back open forcefully. Cole pointed his gun at Lisa.

"It's ok," replied Charleigh. "Sam and Dean will know where to find me." Cole slapped the handcuffs tightly onto her wrists and dragged her toward the stairs. Lisa grabbed the gun from the floor and wanted to fire, but was afraid she would hit Charleigh. Charleigh slowly ascended the stairs behind Cole thinking desperately what she could do to get out of this mess. Lisa felt useless as she followed behind them, far enough away that she wouldn't be seen. She peered out the front door as Cole opened the trunk to a beat up, green, Lincoln Town Car. He placed a gag around Charleigh's mouth and placed her in the trunk. As soon as he closed the trunk, Lisa began shooting at him, the gun shots echoing in the darkness. Cole ran quickly to the driver's side and sped off. Lisa ran back inside and quickly jotted down the car description and the license plate number. She frantically tried to call Dean again without a response. Moments later, police cars arrived outside the cabin. Lisa told them that Charleigh was kidnapped and gave them the license plate information and the car description. They immediately issued an Amber alert. Dean soon arrived at the cabin to the commotion. He jumped from his car and ran worriedly to Lisa.

"What happened?" he demanded as she threw her arms around him. "Where are Charleigh and Ben?"

"He took her," sobbed Lisa as she handed him the paper with the car information on it. "His name was Cole and he said he was a tracker hired by the Dark Lighters. He's bringing Charleigh to her Grandparents." Dean released Lisa and paced the front lawn for a moment with frustration.

"Cas, where are you?" he questioned worriedly. "I really need your help right now."


	64. Chapter 64

_**Hi all, its not another update - sorry! BUT, I am working on one for this evening! :-) I just wanted to get some input from you all since you are all so awesome! **_

_**1.) Do you enjoy the originality of the story or should I incorporate it into the Supernatural series? If I did, where do you think it would fit in best?**_

_**2.) Do you think Dean is too mean in the story? The reason I'm asking is because I just read a new sisfic and the author said she wrote it because she read a story where Dean is really mean to his sister and I am hoping she's not referring to my story because that is not my intention at all and I apologize if I have portrayed him that way. I don't think he would be mean to any child, but I do think his character would be strict. Thoughts?**_

_**3.) Thanks so much for reading! I have written many fanfics over the year, but have never shared them because I never knew a site like this existed! So, I am happy to keep sharing as long as everyone is still enjoying! I'm working hard at writing more descriptively, but sometimes I just get too excited and just write whatever I am thinking. Thanks again! I appreciate all of your reviews and they are the only reasons that I continue to share! :-)**_

_**Talk to you all soon! Have a nice weekend!**_

Cas appeared in front of Dean. "I need to know if there is another way to kill this son of a bitch once and for all," demanded Dean.

"Charleigh needs to do it, with one of the arrows from his crossbow," replied Cas. Dean nodded his head and sighed. If that was the only way, he knew he would have to let Charleigh do it. He knew they couldn't continue to live on the run anymore.

"Can you find her?" demanded Dean as he patted his coat looking for his cell phone. "Damn it," he sighed when he couldn't find it. He headed inside, a man on a mission, and found Charleigh's phone on her nightstand. He searched for his phone from Charleigh's and recovered it from the couch cushions.

"I will try," he stated as he disappeared. Dean quickly called Sam to update him on the situation. Sam immediately headed out in an attempt to intercept Cole and Charleigh at her Grandparent's house.

"We need to leave, immediately," Dean said to Lisa as she entered the cabin behind him. "It's not safe here anymore." Dean grabbed his duffel bag from a small closet in the Living Room. He turned back to face Lisa. "Where is Ben?" he asked worriedly.

"Downstairs in the closet," she replied as she left Dean and hurried to go get Ben. Both Ben and Lisa returned and quickly followed Dean's lead and packed up what little belongings they had; then helped with Sam's and Charleigh's belongings. Within ten minutes, they were packed up and in the Impala. Dean started driving in the direction that he assumed Cole would go to take Charleigh to her Grandparents. He hoped Cas would be able to get to her first.

"Dean, I am so sorry," Lisa commented worriedly from the passenger's seat.

"This isn't your fault," he said as he turned and looked at her. "I wish I had never dragged you and Ben into any of this. This is my fault, I NEVER should have left you alone and I should've checked to make sure I had my damn cell phone before I left." Lisa jumped as Dean slammed his fists down on the steering well. "Damn it!" he yelled.

"You would have been proud of her," commented Lisa. "She was so brave and she made sure that no one else got hurt. Her actions reminded me a lot of what you or Sam would've done. She's an amazing kid and I know she will be all right. If anyone can get through this, it's her."

"I really hope so," replied Dean quietly as he watched the road intently. "Are you doing all right Ben?" he asked a few minutes later as he looked at Ben through his rearview mirror.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Ben, still a little shaken up by the whole experience. Meanwhile, the sun was beginning to rise when Cas finally spotted the green town car on a dirt road that ran through a rural area with no homes and large open areas of land mixed in with wooded areas. He appeared suddenly in front of the car making Cole bring it to a screeching halt. Cas moved quickly to the driver's side and pulled Cole roughly from the car. Cole struggled with Cas and attempted to punch him and kick at him, but Cas' strength overpowered his. Once Cole retreated, Cas placed his pointer finger, along with his middle finger on Cole's forehead and tried to reverse the damage that the Dark Lighters had done to him.

"Whoa," sighed Cole as he jumped back from Cas and grabbed his head. "What was I doing?" he questioned as he thought back to kidnapping Charleigh. "Charleigh?" he questioned. "Is she all right?"

"She's in the trunk," stated Cas as he went to the back of the car with Cole by his side. "You were brainwashed by Dark Lighters into kidnapping her." Cas forced the trunk open to find Charleigh lying on her side facing the back of the car. He reached in and lifted her from the trunk and removed the gag from her mouth. Charleigh glared worriedly at Cole. "He's ok now," stated Cas when he saw the fear on her face. "I reversed the damage."

"I'm sorry Charleigh," sighed Cole as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys for the handcuffs. He quickly unlocked her handcuffs.

"He's coming," stated Cas as he looked worriedly to Charleigh. "I want you to run into the woods and don't look back. I will come for you. Go Charleigh," he urged forcefully. Charleigh swallowed hard and looked pleadingly at Cas.

"Matthew?" she questioned.

"Yes, go now," he ordered. Charleigh hesitated, worried to leave him. "Go Charleigh!" he demanded. Charleigh turned and took off running into a heavily wooded area. "Cole, go with her, now," ordered Cas. "Call Dean." Cole took off running after Charleigh while digging for his cell phone in his pocket. After a few minutes, Charleigh stopped running and turned back around toward the direction that they came from. Cole stopped abruptly behind her as his phone connected with Dean at the same time. He gasped heavily as he explained to Dean where they were. While Cole was talking, Charleigh took off running toward Cas.

"Shit man," sighed Cole. "She's headed back."

"Put her on the damn phone!" ordered Dean. Cole caught up with Charleigh and grabbed her arm roughly.

"We have to help him," pleaded Charleigh as she spun around and punched Cole in the chest. "Let me go!" Cole shoved the phone in her face.

"Dean wants to talk to you," he stated. Charleigh grabbed the phone abruptly and placed the phone to her ear.

"Dean, I'm sorry, but I can't leave Cas on his own," she gasped quickly and then handed the phone back to Cole without waiting for a reply.

"Charleigh!" hollered Dean into the phone, but she was already off and running toward Cas. She made it back to the tree line and could see Cas facing another man. They were far enough away from her that she couldn't make out the other man, but his hair was white just like her vision. She thought back to her vision and she remembered a green car in the background. She began to emerge from the woods when she saw Dean's Impala coming tearing down the dirt road. Dean jumped from the car and approached behind Cas. She couldn't hear what was going on, but gasped when she saw a crossbow appear out of nowhere in Matthew's arms. She started to run out of the woods when she felt two strong arms grasp her from behind.

"Let me go!" she demanded. "You don't understand, he's going to kill Castiel and I can't let that happen!" she stated forcefully. She launched her heel back and kicked Cole powerfully in the crotch. Cole gasped and dropped her from his hold. Once on her feet, she took off running. She watched in horror as Matthew raised his crossbow. "Stop!" she cried out loudly. She continued to run toward them.

"Charleigh, go back!" ordered Dean when he saw her emerge from the woods. Of course she didn't listen, her family was in trouble and she wasn't going to let them get hurt for her. She arrived in the middle. Matthew was still holding up his crossbow with an arrow pointed in Cas' direction and Dean was holding up a shotgun pointed in Matthew's direction. "Oh Charleigh," sighed Dean.

"So this is Charleigh?" grinned Matthew. "I've been waiting so long to make your acquaintance." Matthew took a few steps toward her.

"Cas, what do we do?" Dean questioned quietly.

"Let's make a deal," Charleigh said as forcefully as a 9 year could, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Charleigh, no!" ordered Dean. Charleigh turned back and glanced at Dean. "Don't do this Charleigh!" he pleaded.

"What kind of deal?" asked Matthew curiously as he took another step closer to her, still with an arrow that he was waiting to fire.

"Dammit Charleigh!" yelled Dean.

"What do you want?" asked Charleigh.

"I want you to fulfill your destiny," answered Matthew as he took another step closer. Dean was growing more and more concerned, but felt trapped. If he fired, he was afraid Charleigh or Cas would get hurt.

"If you leave my family and friends alone, I will surrender to you when I turn 13," she offered bravely. Matthew looked down at her questionably.

"No!" yelled Dean as he fired his shotgun, connecting with Matthew's stomach. At the same time, Matthew released an arrow from his crossbow. Charleigh turned and watched in horror as the arrow connected with Cas' leg.

"No!" she cried as she turned and took off running toward Dean and Cas. Cas dropped to the ground and Charleigh immediately yanked the arrow from his leg and hovered over him with her back to Matthew.

"Stab him with it," whispered Cas. Matthew was approaching them quickly as Dean continued to fire at him. The bullets penetrated him, but they didn't stop him. He grabbed Dean and launched him into the woods. Charleigh kept her back to Matthew and grasped the arrow tightly with both hands. She felt a firm hand on her shoulder and then quickly spun around and forced the arrow into his leg.

"You little bitch," he growled. Black smoke appeared and then Mathew disappeared. Charleigh sighed with relief and immediately look toward Cas.

"Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

"I will be," he stated and then disappeared. Charleigh stood up and frantically searched for Dean. Tears came to her eyes when she spotted him walking from the woods. She quickly started running for him.

"Dean!" she cried as she threw her arms around him. The tears she had been holding back all day began falling from her eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he embraced her and lifted her from the ground.

"Yeah," she sobbed. He set her back down on the ground and looked her over carefully to make sure she was in fact all right. He crouched down and embraced her in another hug. "He's gone," she sobbed. "And so is Cas."

"I know," replied Dean as he continued to hold her. Charleigh looked over Dean's shoulder to find Lisa and Ben running toward them from the Impala.

"Charleigh," sighed Lisa with relief as she arrived to where they were. Charleigh released Dean and went over to Lisa and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you are safe," Lisa said happily. Charleigh released Lisa and then went to Ben and gave him an unsuspecting hug. Ben smiled and returned the hug.

"You are one tough chick," he stated proudly.

"And don't you forget it," grinned Charleigh. Dean and Lisa exchanged smiles and then Dean embraced Lisa in a hug. Later that evening, they met up with Sam at a motel in Virginia. Everyone got cleaned up and filled Sam in on the events of that morning. Sam questioned whether Matthew and/or Castiel were dead, but Dean and Charleigh didn't know for sure.

Dean spotted Charleigh sitting on one of the beds with her Kindle and headed over to sit beside her. "Hey," he said as he took the Kindle from her hands. Charleigh sat up and looked over at him. "As much as it pisses me off, you did exactly what I would've done today," he grinned as he rubbed her head. "I'm proud of you kiddo."

"Thanks," she grinned. As she looked at Dean, the guilt from the previous day consumed her. She did something stupid and she knew he would never find out if she didn't tell him. However, she knew if she didn't tell him, the guilt would drive her crazy. "But I don't think you'll be proud of me once you hear why we couldn't get a hold of you last night," she stated.

"Well, I'm listening," he replied sternly. Charleigh sighed and went into detail about cheating, being disrespectful to her teacher, and then taking his phone and hiding it. She watched as the expression on Dean's face quickly turned to a stern one. "Well that's just awesome," he sighed as he looked at her sternly. He looked around at the crowded motel room and then looked back at Charleigh. "We'll continue this discussion in the bathroom," he stated sternly.

"Please Dean," she pleaded.

"Are you telling me that you think you don't deserve a spanking for that?" he questioned sternly.

"I know I deserve it," she pouted. "But everyone will hear."

"Bathroom now," he ordered. Charleigh pouted and slid off of the bed and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Dean went over to the table and told Sam and Lisa what was going on, and then grabbed a chair and carried it to the bathroom. He pushed open the door and set the chair down inside, then closed the door behind him. Charleigh was sitting on the bathtub rim waiting for him. Dean turned his chair so it was facing her. He sat down and looked over at her sternly. "Do you understand why you are in trouble?" he asked sternly.

"Yes," she frowned, nodding her head. "But can't you go easier on me since I confessed to you?"

"No," he replied firmly. "Come here." Charleigh approached Dean and found herself over his knee once again. She knew she deserved it this time so there was no fighting from her. Dean yanked down her pajama bottoms and began spanking her. After he decided she had had enough, he pulled her bottoms back up and set her on her feet. She sobbed as she rubbed her bottom frantically. She was relieved when he took her hand and embraced her in a hug. He held her tightly for a few minutes and let her cry. "You remind me so much of myself at this age," he commented as he released her from the hug and took her hands. And that worries me." Charleigh grinned; she didn't think that was a bad thing. He turned out to be a hero and hopefully she would someday too.


	65. Chapter 65

_**Thank you all for thoughts and suggestions! They helped a lot!**_

Two days had passed and they still hadn't heard anything from Cas. Sam and Dean were growing more and more concerned. They were also growing more and more restless from being trapped inside the motel room, especially Charleigh and Ben. "Can't we just go to the park or something?" pleaded Charleigh on the morning of the second day. "I can't take it anymore." Sam and Dean were still worried about allowing Charleigh out in public places for fear that Matthew or his trackers were still looking for her. Sam and Dean exchanged glances and nodded their heads at one another.

"Ok," sighed Dean. "We'll give it a try."

"Yay!" cheered Charleigh. They all showered and Sam googled a nearby playground. "It's so much warmer here than NY," commented Charleigh as they headed out to the Impala.

"Might be nice living here," commented Lisa as she climbed into the backseat with the kids. Charleigh cringed at the reminder that Ben and Lisa would be leaving them soon.

"I need you two to stay within our view the entire time," Dean stated as he peered back at Charleigh and Ben in his rearview mirror. "Think you can do that?"

"Sure Dean," replied Charleigh happily.

"Yeah," replied Ben.

"I'm going to beat your ass on the monkey bars," laughed Charleigh as she turned toward Ben who was wearing a Yankees baseball cap and a navy blue hoodie.

"That's what you think," he replied confidently. "I was the monkey bar king at my old school." Charleigh burst out laughing at his comment. She never heard anyone refer to themselves as a monkey bar king.

"Watch the language," warned Dean from the front seat. Charleigh looked up at him in the rearview mirror to find him smiling back at her. She smiled in return. Dean was relieved to see her happy after everything they had been through in the last few days. He thought she didn't seem too affected by any of it which also worried him. He tended to internalize a lot of his feelings and knew Charleigh was the same way. She never really talked about things that were bothering her. Still deep in thought, Dean pulled into the parking lot of a huge playground which wasn't too crowded since it was a school day for most kids. Charleigh and Ben jumped from the car and took off running toward the play structures. "I'll race you!" announced Charleigh.

Dean, Sam, and Lisa sat at a nearby picnic table to keep an eye on them. Dean and Sam frequently scanned the perimeter of the playground to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary. "Sam, Dean, come play tag with us!" called Charleigh from the playground.

"You too Mom!" called Ben. The three of them exchanged glances and then took off toward the kids. They played for a while until they heard a young mother scream from the other side of the playground. Lisa, Sam, and Dean instantly took off running toward a young woman in his twenties. She was small and petite with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was sitting on a bench peering terrified into her stroller.

"What's wrong?" asked Sam as he looked at the woman and then peered into the stroller to find it empty.

"My baby's gone!" she cried. "I stepped away for 2 minutes to help my son tie his shoe and when I came back, my baby was gone!" Sam and Dean instantly began searching the playground while Lisa stayed with Ben and Charleigh. Lisa quickly dialed 911 on her cell phone to report the missing baby. The young woman ran over to the playground and picked up her toddler son and held him tightly. She headed back over to the bench.

"Is there someone I can call for you?" asked Lisa.

"No," she sobbed. "My husband's been deployed for the last 2 months and my family lives in Florida."

"I'm sorry," replied Lisa gently as she rubbed her arm. Charleigh felt helpless as she watched the poor woman sob over her missing baby. She peered around the perimeter of the playground several times. On her fourth round, she noticed movement behind some bushes behind them, about 100 yards away. She looked around for Sam and Dean, but couldn't find them. She looked up at Lisa who was busy comforting the Mom, so she grabbed Ben's arm and pulled him a few feet away from the bench.

"Look over there," she said to him as she pointed to the place where she saw the movement. Ben watched intently and saw what he thought was a baseball cap moving slightly above the bush line. "Did you see that?" questioned Charleigh.

"Yeah, someone's behind there," replied Ben.

"Let's go," urged Charleigh.

"Charleigh," he sighed. "I always end up in trouble when I follow your lead."

"Fine then," replied Charleigh as she began walking slowly toward the bush. Ben peered around nervously and couldn't find Sam or Dean, so he headed off after Charleigh. She picked up a large branch from the ground and quietly rounded the corner of the bush. She peered behind to find the back of a woman with her long whitish, gray hair pulled back in a ponytail and a baseball cap on her head. She was holding a baby in her arms tightly. Ben appeared behind Charleigh and gasped when he saw the woman, startling her. The woman spun around and glared at them. She was older woman with many wrinkles on her face and her eyes were a dark brown. Charleigh was taken aback by the sadness in the woman's eyes. "That's not your baby," stated Charleigh. "Please don't hurt it." The woman instantly began rambling nonsense that Charleigh or Ben couldn't understand. Meanwhile, Sam noticed Charleigh and Ben and took off running in their direction. "Give me the baby," demanded Charleigh.

"The darkness is coming," replied the woman distractedly. "The darkness will fall upon us."

"Excuse me?" questioned Charleigh, becoming slightly worried. Sam appeared and instinctively grabbed the baby from the woman's arms, making the baby cry. The baby's cry attracted the attention of the mother and Lisa who came running over. The mother handed her toddler to Lisa and took her baby from Sam's arms. The police arrived seconds later and intervened on the situation. They later found out that the woman who took the baby was a homeless woman who suffered from a mental disorder. Charleigh knew the woman did wrong, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She watched sadly as they took her away in handcuffs. The baby's mother came up to Charleigh with her two children in the stroller after the police had left.

"I hear I have you to thank," she smiled kindly as she reached down and gave Charleigh a hug. "Thank you so much. You were my hero today." Charleigh smiled as her words. It made her feel good to be able to help someone. "You're welcome," she replied as Dean appeared beside her and put his arm around her. Charleigh watched with satisfaction as the woman walked away.

"You probably saved that baby's life," commented Dean proudly as he looked down at her.

"Yeah," sighed Charleigh, looking up at him, but continued to think about the homeless woman. There was something about the woman that Charleigh just couldn't shake. They headed back to the picnic table to where Sam, Lisa, and Ben were gathered. Suddenly, Cas appeared causing them all to jump. "Cas!" cried Charleigh excitedly as she threw her arms around him. Not knowing how to react, Cas stood there awkwardly until Charleigh released him.

"You're alive," commented Dean happily.

"I am," he replied. "Thanks to Charleigh. She pulled the arrow out before it caused damage." He looked down at her and nodded. "Thank you Charleigh."

"Awe, you're welcome, but you saved my ass more times than I can count on one hand, so I owed you one," she replied. "I'm glad you are all right."

"Mouth," warned Dean with a smile.

"So what happened with Matthew?" asked Sam.

"I don't know," replied Cas. "The Dark Lighters have been very quiet. We have not heard whether or not Matthew is alive. I cannot see any immediate danger for Charleigh, and will let you know as soon as I know more. Just keep her close for now."

"Thanks Cas," replied Dean. "You are a good friend." Cas smiled and disappeared.

"Can we play for a little while longer?" asked Ben.

"Sure," replied Dean as he looked down at Charleigh. "Let's go for a quick walk. I want to talk to you."

"Oh man," she sighed. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," grinned Dean. "I just want to talk, I promise," he replied as he took her hand and led her away from the table. "You haven't said much about what happened with Cole and Matthew," he mentioned. "I just wanted to make sure you are all right." Charleigh stopped walking and looked up at him.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I just hope he's gone for good."

"Me too," replied Dean as he took a deep breath.

"There is one thing that bothers me now that I think about it," she stated in a serious tone. Dean knew this would be interesting. "How could you still punish me after I was kidnapped?" He raised his eyebrows and looked at her questionably.

"Charleigh, you stole my phone," he replied with annoyance.

"I didn't technically steal it," she mentioned.

"It doesn't matter," he stated sternly. "You made a dangerous situation even worse when Lisa couldn't get a hold of me."

"Well, it's not like I knew it was going to be a dangerous evening," she sighed.

"Charleigh," sighed Dean sternly. "I may have overlooked the cheating and the disrespectful behavior, but I couldn't overlook the fact that you STOLE MY PHONE."

"Ok, ok, ok," she replied, knowing once again she wasn't going to win the argument. "I get it. I'm sorry." Dean reached down and lifted her from the ground and turned her upside down and began tickling her belly. "Let me go!" she laughed.

"You are relentless, you know that," laughed Dean. "And you really know how to push my buttons."


	66. Chapter 66

_**Hi everyone! I hope you are having a nice weekend! Just a random question, has anyone been to one of the Supernatural conventions? I'm thinking about going to the one in NJ and was just wondering how they are! Thanks again for reading! Please review!**_

The next day Sam and Dean moved everyone to a small, 3 bedroom cabin at the same motel development. The cabin entrance opened up into a small kitchen which led to a small Living Room with a couch and a few chairs. Off of the Living Room, there was a bedroom to the right, a bedroom to the left, and a bedroom and bathroom at the far end. Ben and Charleigh would share the bedroom with two single beds, while Dean and Lisa took the room with the king sized bed, and Sam took the room with the double bed. It was a lot bigger than a standard motel room and would give everyone more privacy. They would have to pick up more pool games in order to pay for it, but they knew it would make everyone a lot happier. Sam convinced Dean and Lisa to go out for the day to have some alone time together. He was planning to do schoolwork with Ben and Charleigh and then thought about bringing them to the natural trail that ran behind the motel. Both Dean and Lisa agreed happily. On their way out, they found Ben and Charleigh in their bedroom taking turns with her game boy. "Hey," said Dean as he poked his head in the room. They both looked up from what they were doing. "You two listen to Sam while we're gone," he stated sternly.

"Ok, Dean," replied Ben.

"Sure thing Dean, have fun," replied Charleigh.

"Ok, bye you two," he replied hesitantly. He never knew what kind of stunt Charleigh was going to pull next and it always worried him to leave her with anyone but himself. Lisa brushed past Dean and gave Ben a kiss on the forehead and then Charleigh. Dean watched Charleigh curiously as she played with her game boy until she finally noticed and looked back up at him. "Behave and stay close to Sam," he stated sternly.

"I got it Dean," she replied with annoyance. "I am capable of following directions."

"Really? Well maybe you could show me someday," he replied sarcastically.

"Ha ha ha," she replied as she threw her pillow at him. "I'll be good, I promise, you and Lisa have fun for a change," she stated happily. Somewhat satisfied with her answer, Dean turned and found Lisa waiting by the door.

"Don't take any crap Sammy," Dean stated as he turned toward Sam before walking out the door.

"I can handle them Dean," replied Sam with slight annoyance. "Go, have fun." Dean quickly patted his coat to make sure he had his phone and then took Lisa's hand and headed out the door. Sam gave the kids about twenty more minutes and then gathered them at the table for their school work. He handed Ben a Math worksheet and then directed his attention toward Charleigh. "Dean told me about your Social Studies test," stated Sam somewhat sternly. Charleigh sighed; she knew he would catch up to her sooner or later.

"I'm sorry Sam," she replied. "I tried, but I just couldn't remember all the information."

"So you cheated?" he questioned sternly. Charleigh looked down at her hands and started fidgeting with her fingers.

"Yes," she replied quietly. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she promised Dean she would behave, so she bit her tongue and held it back. Sam handed her a fill in the blank worksheet and a textbook. She looked over the questions and sighed. The material was the same material that was on her test.

"Well, lucky for you, I have the same questions," he stated. "So, once you learn the material, I will test you again." Charleigh reluctantly began the assignment. Sam kept them busy for the next three hours with various subjects and activities. Once Charleigh got through the Social Studies, it was smooth sailing for her. When Sam was satisfied with their schoolwork, he brought them over to a small diner called Zed's that was across the street from the motel. The diner was shaped like a triangle inside and out which really interested Charleigh and Ben. They ate a late lunch/early dinner, and then headed back across the street to the motel. Sam took them around back to a nature trail that was supposed to lead to a small pond.

"I wonder what Dean and Lisa are doing," commented Charleigh, bored with their little nature hike.

"Probably the movies, Mom loves movies," replied Ben.

"So do I," replied Charleigh. "Well, I think I would, but I've never been to a movie theater."

"We should put that on our to do list," commented Sam. Charleigh thought she heard sticks breaking in the woods beside them, but glanced in and couldn't see anything. She figured it was just a squirrel or something and continued to mosey along with Ben and Sam.

"Are you sure Dean's not your Dad?" questioned Charleigh. She had been itching to ask him that question for so long.

"No, but I wish he was," commented Ben. Charleigh glanced over at him and watched him frown. "I never met my Dad."

"I'm sorry Ben," replied Charleigh.

"It's ok, I have a great Mom," he replied.

"Yeah, you're pretty lucky," replied Charleigh. "I wish she was my Mom."

"Hey guys, I think we're almost there," interrupted Sam as he appeared between them and pointed a ahead. They ran ahead and arrived at a small pond that was surrounded heavily by woods.

"Sam, is it ok if I go pee in the woods?" asked Ben, fidgeting from one foot to another.

"Lucky you," laughed Charleigh.

"Sure," replied Sam as he watched Ben wander several feet ahead of them. Charleigh wandered to the other side of the pond. She glanced over at Ben and Sam, both with their backs to her. Suddenly, she felt a hand around her upper arm and a hand placed around her mouth. She was pulled roughly into the woods. She was dragged about 20 yards back in. Once they stopped, she fought wildly to free herself. She whipped around to find the old woman with the sad, brown eyes. Charleigh stopped struggling and the old woman released her, knowing Charleigh wasn't going to run.

"I am Nora," she said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"What do you want?" asked Charleigh.

"I used to be a Dark Lighter known as a Spirit Killer," she stated. Charleigh took a step back, not liking the sound of her previous title at all. Charleigh opened her mouth to scream for Sam, but the woman put her hands up to calm her. "Wait, it's ok, I was stripped of my powers because I refused to do my job any longer. I want to help you Charleigh."

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"I can still hear the Dark Lighters speaking and they speak of you often," she replied. "They say you are their next leader."

"That will never happen," snapped Charleigh. Charleigh heard Sam calling her name in the distance.

"Don't tell Sam or Dean," she stated. "I want to help you Charleigh, but they will never trust me." She handed Charleigh a small piece of paper. "This is where you can find me, we can talk, you will be safe with me, I promise," she said as she started to walk away.

"Wait!" called Charleigh. She turned briefly to Charleigh. "Is Matthew dead?"

"I have not heard him in a few days," the woman responded and then ran off. Charleigh was surprised that she could move so quickly. She quickly tried to gather her thoughts, trying to decide if she should tell Sam and Dean or not. She knew Dean would immediately want to destroy Nora and she couldn't help but think that the woman really did want to help her. She headed back toward the pond quickly to find Sam waiting by the tree line. As soon as she saw Sam, she knew it was best to keep the incident to herself. She figured she would just look into things on her own and then tell Sam and Dean once she knew it was safe.

"Geez Charleigh," sighed Sam as soon as he saw her. "I was starting to get worried."

"I'm sorry, I had to pee too," she replied. She was relieved to see that Sam wasn't going to go crazy on her for stepping away for a few minutes.

"Next time tell me," he stated firmly.

"Ok," she replied as she clenched the paper tightly in her hand. She glanced at Ben who was looking at her curiously. She rolled her eyes at him and started walking away. Ben could tell something was up, but decided he would question Charleigh about it later. Whatever it was, for some reason he could see that she didn't want Sam or Dean to know.


	67. Chapter 67

_**Hi Everyone! Thanks again for reading! Please review!**_

Ben watched Charleigh curiously as they arrived back at the cabin. He followed her into the room they shared and watched as she nervously played with a piece of paper in her hand. "What's that?" asked Ben, pointing to the paper in her hand. Charleigh looked down at her hand and then back up at him.

"Oh, um, just a piece of paper I grabbed from the diner," she replied nervously.

"Charleigh, whatever you're thinking, don't do it," Ben suggested. Charleigh glared at him warningly. "I know you're up to something," he stated, not backing down from her dirty looks.

"Ugh!" she huffed angrily. "You are always in my business!"

"Yeah, well, usually your business doesn't end well," he stated. In the background, they could hear the front door opening and closing, and then heard Dean and Lisa's voices.

"Leave me alone Ben!" she snapped, louder than she intended. Ben put up his hands in retreat and took a few steps back from her.

"I just care about you Charleigh," he sighed disappointedly.

"Everything all right in here?" asked Dean as he poked his head in their room. Charleigh peered nervously at Ben hoping he didn't tell Dean about his suspicions.

"Yeah," replied Ben as he turned toward Dean. "Did you and Mom have fun?"

"Awesome time," replied Dean happily. Ben nodded his head and trudged past Dean and headed out into the Living Room to find his Mom. "Everything ok kiddo?" Dean asked Charleigh. Charleigh hesitated for a moment. She thought maybe Ben was right, maybe she should just tell Sam and Dean about Nora. But then she knew that Dean wouldn't understand and he would pack them up again and move them, far away from Nora, and she still wouldn't have anymore answers.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I'm just tired."

"Ok," replied Dean, but he knew her well enough by now and knew when something was bothering her. "We brought home some ice cream and toppings. Do you want to come out and make a sundae?"

"Ummm, no thanks," she replied. "But do you think I could use your laptop for a few minutes? Sam gave me a history assignment and I just wanted to look a few things up."

"Sure, it's on my bed," he replied. Charleigh approached him in the doorway. "Since when do you turn down ice cream?" he asked curiously as he blocked her way.

"I'm just not hungry," she replied. "We had a big lunch."

"Ok," he replied as he stepped out of her way and watched as she went into his room and retrieved his laptop.

"I'm not going to find any Chinese restaurants on here, am I?" she asked as she stepped back into the Living Room where Dean took a seat on the couch next to Lisa. Dean's face flushed red with embarrassment and Lisa looked at him quizzically.

"Awkward," mumbled Dean as he threw her a dirty look. Charleigh laughed and then carried the laptop into her room. She opened the small piece of paper and quickly googled the address that Nora gave her. The address was a few blocks from the motel and the location appeared to be a homeless shelter. She crumbled the paper back up and exited out of the web page. She sighed and then googled "Dark Lighter and Spirit Killers". The following information came up: "_Spirit Killers__are Supernatural beings that some people believe to exist. They are known as Dark Lighters that seek to drive paragons of good to suicide and prevent them from achieving their destiny. They curse their victims with bad luck and manipulate them into a depression before driving them to suicide. This type of Dark Lighter is particularly known for targeting future White Lighters__to prevent them from fulfilling their calling, as suicide would deny them the chance."_ She quickly exited out of the page and closed the laptop. The information didn't make a whole lot of sense to her as she didn't understand much of it. She wanted to know more and she wanted to talk to Nora. She carried the laptop back to Dean's room and laid it on the bed.

As she headed back into her room, her head started to pound. The pain became unbearable and she sat down on her floor. She tried to focus on the light on the ceiling of the room and suddenly another vision began appearing. This time it was Sam in her vision and he was laying on the ground. Charleigh could see herself, hovering over him, crying. Tears came to her eyes as she watched herself fall back on the ground, crying uncontrollably. "Charleigh, you ok?" asked Ben's voice. Charleigh tried to shake herself from the vision. "Sam! Dean!" called Ben. They both appeared immediately. Sam reached down and lifted Charleigh and placed her on her bed. "Is she all right?" asked Ben.

"Charleigh," boomed Dean's voice as he sat down beside her.

"Sam!" cried Charleigh as soon as she was released from her vision.

"I'm right here," said Sam concerningly as he sat down on the other side. Charleigh turned toward him and reached out and gripped him tightly.

"Charleigh, what did you see?" questioned Dean. Meanwhile, Ben watched in horror as Charleigh struggled to get the words out. He was worried for her.

"I don't want to tell you," she sobbed as she continued to hold Sam tightly.

"Charleigh, it's ok," said Sam calmly as he sat her up. "I'm here. I'm safe," he said reassuringly.

"You were dead," she sobbed. "I saw you in my vision and you were dead!" Dean sighed in disbelief. He too was worried since Charleigh visions tended to be somewhat accurate. He stood and paced the room while Sam continued to comfort her.

"Did you see anything else?" asked Dean.

"No, just me and Sam," she sobbed.

"It's ok, we'll figure this out," Dean stated worriedly. Once Charleigh was calm, she headed into the bathroom to get ready for bed. As she brushed her teeth, she looked into the mirror at herself, and knew she had to go and see Nora; Sam's life was at stake. She finished getting ready and headed into bed. One by one, Sam, Dean, and Lisa came in to say goodnight. Both Dean and Sam attempted to reassure her that Sam would be all right and there was no need for her to worry. Charleigh was almost asleep when she finally saw Ben come in and get into bed. After checking on Charleigh and Ben to make sure they were both asleep, Dean grabbed his laptop and headed into the kitchen. He found Sam at the kitchen table and placed the laptop in front of him. "Is there a way to check and see what websites Charleigh was looking at? She's up to something. I just know it." Sam opened it up and flipped through a few functions.

"No, she deleted her search history," commented Sam.

"Now why would she do that?" questioned Dean angrily. "Unless she was hiding something." Dean paced the kitchen angrily. "I'm going to wake her up, I need answers from her," he stated with annoyance.

"Dean, calm down," urged Sam. "Let her sleep and talk to her in the morning." Dean finally agreed and settled down on the couch to watch television. Lisa emerged from their room and snuggled next to him on the couch. Charleigh woke up in the middle of the night and had a difficult time falling back asleep. She repeatedly kept thinking about how she was going to be able to go see Nora without being caught. She got out of bed and wandered into the Living Room. She peeked in on Lisa and Dean and they were both asleep and then in on Sam and he was asleep. She went back into her room and threw on some sweatpants, a jacket, and sneakers. She grabbed her phone, figuring she could use it as a flashlight, and crept out the front door. She started at a fast walking pace.

"Charleigh!" she heard her name being called. She stopped abruptly and turned to find Ben running up to her. He was still in his pajamas with his hoodie overtop. "Where are you going?" he demanded.

"Ben, go back!" she urged.

"Only if you come with me," he stated angrily.

"Please Ben, I need to do this," she pleaded.

"Charleigh, either you come back with me or I am going to call Sam and Dean," he stated angrily. Charleigh hesitated and looked at Ben curiously, trying to figure out if he was serious. She didn't think he would rat her out. "Come on Charleigh, you shouldn't be out here alone and Dean will be pissed when he finds out."

"IF he finds out," she huffed. "I'm not going back, I have something I need to do first," she stated.

"Fine," he sighed as he pulled out his cell phone. "I'm calling Dean."


	68. Chapter 68

_**Just a short teaser, will try to update more later! Enjoy! Thoughts and suggestions appreciated!**_

"Hey! What are you kids doing out here?" boomed a voice as a flashlight appeared on them.

"Oh shit," sighed Charleigh as she turned in the direction of the light. An older, heavy man was walking toward him. He walked with a slight limp and a cigarette dangled from his mouth. His white hair shone brightly in the moonlight.

"It's 2am," grumbled the man as he appeared in front of them. He shone the flashlight in their faces. Charleigh recognized the man as the owner of the motel. He was usually sitting behind the desk in the office. "Hey, I know you two," he stated. "Your folks are staying in the cabin." Ben nudged Charleigh worriedly.

"No sir, that's not us," replied Charleigh. "We were just looking for our dog. He was crying to go outside and when we opened the door, he ran off." The man looked at them curiously. Ben held his breath, hoping the man would believe them.

"Ok, then," he replied hesitantly. "No dog here, but you should go home. It's too late for young uns to be wondering around."

"Yes sir," replied Charleigh. Content with their answer, the man turned and headed back to the office of the motel.

"That was close," sighed Ben. "Come on, let's go back." Charleigh turned and glared at Ben, and then gave him a little shove.

"This is all your fault," she snapped. "You're always poking your nose into my business."

"You're lucky you're a girl or I would shove you back!" he replied angrily. "I've had enough of you and your attitude, I'm calling Dean."

"No, wait, I'm sorry Ben," she pleaded. "I'll tell you what's going on."

"Ok," he replied. Charleigh explained everything to him about Nora and then her research about the Spirit Killers. "But why did she kidnap a baby?" questioned Ben when Charleigh was finished with her explanation.

"I don't know," replied Charleigh. "But I intend to ask her that too."

"I don't trust her," he sighed. "What if she's lying and she really just wants to destroy you?" he questioned. Charleigh paused and thought for a moment. She thought maybe Ben had a point. She just instantly believed Nora and she wasn't sure why. She seemed like a peaceful and gentle woman. "Let's go back and you can talk to Sam and Dean. Please Charleigh. This doesn't sound safe to me."

"Ben, Sam is going to die and maybe Nora has answers for me," she replied optimistically. "I'm going. Please don't tell Dean or Sam. I will hurry back."

"You are so stubborn," he snapped angrily. "If you go, then I'm going with you." Charleigh sighed and rolled her eyes. If this ended badly, she didn't want Ben to go down for it too.

"You win," she sighed. "I'm going back." She kicked the ground disappointedly and started marching back toward the cabin briskly with Ben close behind.

"Were you coming to see me?" questioned a voice. Charleigh jumped in surprise and turned to find Nora. Ben turned with her. "Hi there Charleigh," said Nora as she stepped closer to the children. Chills went through Ben's body in her presence. He didn't like her and he didn't trust her. "I have so much to tell you. Let's find a safe place to talk." Nora reached out and touch Charleigh's arm gently. "Come on child," she urged. Charleigh turned and looked at Ben worriedly.

"Charleigh, let's go back," he pleaded worriedly.

"He is not a believer, he mustn't come," hissed Nora as she glared at Ben. Ben fumbled with the phone in his hand and tried to call Dean without Nora noticing. Charleigh knew in every sense that she shouldn't go with Nora, but something happened and she found herself willingly complying with Nora's requests. "I just want to talk," Nora reassured her.

"Charleigh, let's go," said Ben as he grabbed Charleigh's other arm. He finally found Dean's name under the contacts and pushed the talk button, still holding the phone by his side.

"I should go back Nora," Charleigh said hesitantly. "Dean and Sam will be worried."

"You belong with me child," she replied. "Come along and be quiet." She began to pull Charleigh roughly away from Ben. Ben heard Dean's groggy voice and placed the phone quickly to his ear.

"Dean, I need your help!" he said frantically as Charleigh and Nora disappeared into the darkness. Ben turned and ran back toward the cabin only to be met by Sam and Dean on the porch. "She took Charleigh!" he cried.


	69. Chapter 69

_**Don't worry, there will be more this evening! :-)**_

Charleigh obediently let Nora lead her through the darkness. She had a difficult time figuring out where they were with only a few streetlights popping up along the way. "Hand me your phone," ordered Nora as they continued to walk through the darkness. Charleigh reached into the pocket of her sweatpants and pulled out her phone. She didn't know why and she surely didn't want to, but she was about to hand her phone to Nora until she stumbled on something that was sticking up from the ground. Nora lost her grip on Charleigh. Suddenly, Charleigh felt like she had control over her decisions once again. Nora reached down to grab her again, but Charleigh rolled away quickly and then stood up and started running as fast as her legs could carry her. She peered down in her hand and realized that her phone was gone, but she knew she couldn't turn back. She ran and ran into the darkness; she ran through what appeared to be a park and then several backyards until she came to a section of town that was lighted better. She could see a building that looked like it may have been a school up ahead and it looked abandoned. She ran to the building and tried frantically to open the front door, but it was locked. She ran around to the side and noticed a smash window, so she carefully climbed inside and found herself in what appeared to be the basement. The basement was empty except for the sound of dripping water. She found a corner and sat down on the damp, cold floor. She pulled her hoodie around her tightly and buried her head in her knees. All she could do now was wait for morning.

Meanwhile, Ben filled Sam and Dean in on what Charleigh had told him. Leaving Ben with Lisa at the cabin, Sam and Dean first tried to track her cell phone, but the GPS was disconnected, so they hurried off to the homeless shelter. The homeless shelter sat toward the middle of the main street in town. They tried the front door, but it was locked, so they just started banging on it in hopes that someone would hear them. Finally, an elderly man came to the door and pushed back the curtain from the window in the middle of the door. "We're full," he mouthed through the window and started to walk away.

"No wait!" called Sam. "We need your help!" The old man peered back out through the window and then hesitantly opened the door. "Hi, uh, we're sorry to bother you, but we are looking for a woman named Nora," explained Sam.

"Sorry, she's not here tonight," he grumbled.

"We need to know where to find her," Dean stated firmly.

"I have no idea," the old man replied dismissively.

"Our 9 year old sister is in danger and we think Nora might know her whereabouts," Sam stated. "Please sir, if you know anything about her whereabouts, it would be helpful." The old man sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Not another runaway," he muttered.

"She's not a runaway!" snapped Dean angrily. "But she could be in danger. Where the hell can we find Nora?" he demanded.

"Some say she has a tent in the woods at Cooke Park," he replied with irritation. "She comes here on the cold nights. I was expecting her tonight, but she never showed."

"Thanks," said Sam and he and Dean ran for the Impala and then headed to the park.

Meanwhile, Charleigh fought hard to hold back the tears, but she was scared. She regretted taking matters into her own hands and she regretted not listening to Ben. Everything was beginning to feel hopeless to her and she didn't see any way out of her destiny as a Dark Lighter. They would always be coming for her and no one could stop them. She knew she didn't deserve to be saved and she was tired of fighting. She was tired of Sam and Dean fighting for her. She wondered how her Mother had resisted the temptations and wished she could talk to her. She realized then that her Mother must've been a lot stronger than she ever gave her credit for and it made her sad. She was always so critical of her Mother, but in reality her Mother was a lot stronger than she would ever be. She began sobbing into her lap and began shaking at the sound of the wind whipping outside. She made a decision then and there that if Nora came for her again, she would stop fighting and she would give in to whatever Nora wanted from her.


	70. Chapter 70

_**Told you I wouldn't leave you hanging! Thanks again! Thoughts and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!**_

Sam and Dean began searching the entire surrounding areas of Cooke Park. After an hour of searching, they finally came upon an empty tent. The inside was bare except for a sleeping bag, some clothes strewn about, and a thermos of water. There were no clues as to where Charleigh or Nora could be. "Wonderful," sighed Dean anxiously.

"I think we should head into town and start searching there," Sam stated worriedly. Dean nodded in agreement and they headed back to the Impala. Dean attempted to contact Castiel a few times as they drove back toward town, but there was no response.

"Sam, what if…..," began Dean when Sam cut him off.

"She's fine Dean," interrupted Sam as he attempted to research Spirit Killers on his smart phone. "She has to be." They both exchanged worried glances and drove the remainder of the distance in silence. Sam became increasingly more worried as he read about Spirit Killers. If Nora really was a Spirit Killer, then her job was to destroy Charleigh from the inside out. Sam knew Charleigh would be very susceptible to anything Nora told her and he was worried that Charleigh wouldn't be able to handle it. He quickly filled Dean in on his research after they pulled into a parking spot in the center of town.

Meanwhile, Charleigh continued to wait worriedly for the morning sun to rise. "Well, well, well," hissed a voice from the darkness of the basement. Charleigh immediately recognized Nora's voice and an emptiness soon consumed her. She knew this was it, her fight was over. She peered into the darkness and watched as Nora appeared directly in front of her. "You are very predictable, you know?" grinned Nora. "I knew you'd find your way to an empty building."

"What do you want from me?" questioned Charleigh meekly from the corner of the basement.

"I want to destroy you," she stated firmly. Charleigh closed her eyes and sighed worriedly. "Your family has taken what was supposed to be mine. I was in line to be the next leader of the Dark Lighters, but your Uncle turned everyone against me and I was told to leave and never come back. And then, I hear them talking about YOU and how YOU will be the next leader."

"I thought they took away your powers?" questioned Charleigh.

"I lied," she hissed. "I only wanted to earn your trust."

"Well, you're not going to get any resistance from me," replied Charleigh sadly. "I'm done fighting. I just want you to promise that nothing will happen to Sam or Dean."

"Hmmmmmmm," sighed Nora. "I'll think about it." Nora placed her hand on Charleigh's head. "Stand up child," she ordered. Charleigh obediently stood up and peered up at Nora. Nora moved her hand to Charleigh's shoulder and began speaking. "You child, are nothing but a nuisance to Sam and Dean. They don't care about you. They just feel obligated to take care of you. As soon as you are cleared of being in danger, they are going to leave you." Tears started to fall from Charleigh's eyes as Nora's words began to sink in. These were all thoughts that she had at one time or another, but it hurt deeply to hear someone else confirm them. "Your father, John Winchester, knew you were his child and he didn't care either. He left you with your Mother because he didn't want to have to deal with you. You were a nuisance to him too. Your Mom hated you. In fact, she despised you. You are the reason her husband was murdered and you are the reason she was murdered. You bring darkness and hate wherever you go. You are evil." Nora released her touch from Charleigh and took a step back to see if she had inflicted enough damage on the child. Charleigh closed her eyes for a brief moment and then wiped the tears from her eyes. Everything began sinking in at once and Charleigh was flooded with sadness and despair, feelings she hadn't felt since Dean and Sam found her. "What are you thinking child?" asked Nora.

"Please just destroy me," pleaded Charleigh as she began to shift unsteadily on her feet. "No one wants me."

"Don't worry, I will. But first I am going to bring you back to Sam and Dean," she stated, seeing that she had accomplished her goal. "Come along child," she said as she took hold of Charleigh's arm. They headed up the basement stairs and into a narrow hallway and out a back exit. They walked through the darkness back to the cabin. Nora led Charleigh up the stairs. "You stay here child," she said with a smile as she rubbed her hand down Charleigh's cheek. "My job is done." Nora knocked on the door and then ran off into the darkness. Lisa peered out the door and saw Charleigh waiting on the porch. Relieved, she swung open the door.

"Charleigh," she gasped as she wrapped her arms around her. Lisa was worried when there was no reaction from Charleigh. She took a step back and looked at Charleigh worriedly. "Ben, Call Dean!" Lisa called over her shoulder as she took Charleigh's hand and led her inside. "Charleigh, are you all right?" asked Lisa worriedly.

"I'm just tired," Charleigh replied as she walked passed Lisa. Charleigh glanced at Ben sadly and went into her room. Ben jumped up from the couch and followed her into the bedroom.

"What happened? What's wrong with you?" he asked as he appeared behind Charleigh.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied. Lisa headed toward their bedroom, but stopped in the doorway to hear their conversation.

"Charleigh?" questioned Ben as tears came to his eyes. "What did she do to you?"

"She told me the truth," replied Charleigh as tears began falling from her eyes. "She told me everything that no one else wanted to." Charleigh climbed onto her bed and sat against the headboard, pulling her knees to her chest. She buried her head and sobbed. She heard the front door open and slam close.

"What the hell Charleigh?!" Dean ground out as soon as he found her in the bedroom. Charleigh heard his words, but didn't respond. Lisa took Dean's hand and led him from the room, while Sam went in.

"There's something wrong with her Dean," Lisa stated worriedly. "I just heard her tell Ben that Nora told her the truth; that she told her everything that no one else wanted to." Dean thought back to Sam's research on Spirit Killers and headed back into the bedroom where Sam was trying to coax Charleigh from her position on the bed.

"Charleigh, she was lying," ground out Dean as he sat down beside her. "You need to listen to us Charleigh." Dean took Charleigh's chin and pushed it up gently, but she still refused to make eye contact with him. Dean glanced at Sam worriedly. "Charleigh, snap out of it!" Dean stated firmly. She shook her head and then lifted it up. She made eye contact with Dean and then Sam.

"I always had my doubts," she sobbed, "but now I know it's true. You guys don't care about me. No one cares about me." Both Sam and Dean were speechless, their hearts aching from her words. Lisa stood in the doorway and watched sadly as tears began to fall from her eyes. Ben went to his Mother and wrapped his arms around her waist worriedly.

"Charleigh, none of its true," Sam said gently as he took her hands. "Dean and I love you. We do Charleigh. You need to believe that." Charleigh looked over at Sam sadly.

"I don't believe you," she replied disappointedly. Dean jumped up from the bed and stormed toward the front door with Sam close behind.

"Dean, where are you going?" demanded Sam.

"I'm going to find that bitch and make her reverse whatever she did!" Dean spat out angrily.

"Dean, let's have a plan before we run into this blindly," Sam stated calmly.

"Oh, I have a plan," he replied firmly. "I'm going to find her and destroy her!"

"Dean, stop!" demanded Sam. Dean stopped and directed his attention toward Sam as he continued to chomp at the bit. "Charleigh needs us right now." Tears came to Dean's eyes.

"We couldn't protect her this time," Dean commented sadly. "A monster messed with our little sister's head and we weren't there to protect her. This is on us Sammy and I want revenge." Dean's voice echoed through the cabin.

"Let's get revenge later," suggested Sam. "Right now we need to take care of our little sister."


	71. Chapter 71

They headed back into the bedroom to find Charleigh asleep in Lisa's arms. "I'll stay in here with her," Lisa whispered gently. Dean nodded approvingly, knowing it was better to let her rest. They headed into the Living Room to be met by Cas.

"Where the hell were you man?" demanded Dean as he invaded Cas' personal space. "We needed you."

"Sorry Dean," he replied. "We have serious issues going on in heaven."

"Yeah, well we had serious issues going on down here," Dean ground out angrily.

"Dean, calm down, it's not his fault," interjected Sam. Dean stepped away from Cas and began to pace the Living Room.

"What happened?" asked Cas, turning toward Sam.

"Nora, who claims to be a Spirit Killer, got to Charleigh tonight," replied Sam. "She fed her a bunch of lies and now Charleigh is convinced that no one cares about her and that we never did."

"Oh I see, I'm sorry to hear that," replied Cas. "Spirit Killers feed on the doubts and fears that someone already has and convinces them that their underlying thoughts and feelings are true. They are able to manipulate their victims into thinking and doing whatever they want with a simple touch. I told you to keep her close. How did Nora get to her?"

"Charleigh wandered off," Sam replied disappointedly. Cas nodded his head and was silent for a moment.

"Yes Cas, this is on us," Dean ground out angrily as he stopped pacing for a moment. "We should have kept a better watch on her, we know. Right now we just need to know how to reverse whatever has been done and how to destroy Nora."

"The Apathe knife will destroy her," stated Cas. "But I'm afraid that the damage that has been done cannot be undone immediately. It will take time for Charleigh to heal. You need to watch her closely. Spirit Killers want their victims to inflict harm on themselves. However, it usually takes several sessions with a Spirit Killer to be fully effective. Nora cannot get her hands on Charleigh again." Sam and Dean exchanged worried glances.

"Can you stay here while Sam and I hunt this bitch down?" Dean asked.

"I can only stay for a short while," he replied. "We are preparing for a war against the Dark Lighters. They have destroyed another angel. "

"How about Matthew?" asked Sam curiously.

"We have confirmation that Matthew is dead," replied Cas. "The Dark Lighters are in complete chaos and are scrambling for another leader. This is our opportunity to destroy them."

"Then we had better hurry," replied Dean as headed for the door. Dean and Sam hurried out to the Impala. Dean opened the trunk and pulled the Apathe knife out. He jumped into the driver's seat and handed the knife to Sam. "Let's go to her tent first," Dean stated, the only thing on his mind was revenge. They headed back to the park and located the tent immediately. They instantly saw movement inside.

"I've been waiting for you," said a woman's voice from inside. Nora emerged from the tent with a big smile on her face. "I hope the child is all right. She's such a cute little thing and she loves you boys so much."

"Shut up!" demanded Dean.

"You know, you should really keep a better eye on her," she replied. "She tends to get herself into a lot of trouble and I'd hate for her to fall into the wrong hands."

"I said, shut up! You messed with the wrong family this time!" Dean growled he lunged toward her. Sam followed his lead. Dean was able to knock Nora to the ground and held her tightly as Sam injected the knife into her back. Dean instantly released her and rolled away as her body soon became consumed in flames. Moments later, a pile of ashes remained where she stood. They both sighed in relief knowing that for now, Charleigh was safe. "So what do we do about Charleigh?" asked Dean as they drove back to the cabin.

"I don't know, I was thinking we should just continue as normal," Sam replied. "Maybe just giving her some extra reassurance that we love her and care about her." Dean nodded.

"I'm really pissed at her Sam," Dean stated angrily. "This all could have been avoided."

"I know," sighed Sam.


	72. Chapter 72

_**Hi everyone! :-) Just an FYI - my updates may be limited this weekend. I am headed to Boston to see Garth Brooks! :-) :-) :-) Thanks for reading, please review!**_

The sun was beginning to rise when they finally arrived back at the cabin. Cas waiting patiently in the Living Room for their arrival. "She's gone," stated Dean.

"Good," replied Cas. "One last threat to worry about. Things are going to get ugly very soon with the Dark Lighters. They may try to find Charleigh if they find out that she is the one who destroyed Matthew. I suggest that she stay put until the war is over. Make sure this cabin is protected against everything, including angels."

"Ok," replied Dean. "Thank you Cas and good luck."

"We will need it," replied Cas as he disappeared. Dean turned Sam and shrugged his shoulders.

"Now to make sure Charleigh stays put," commented Dean, not knowing what to expect from her next. Dean sat down on the couch. "What are we supposed to do Sam?" he questioned worriedly.

"We'll have to make sure she understands the dangers out there," Sam stated as he sat down in a chair across from him.

"The threat of danger never stopped her before," sighed Dean. "She just continues to do what she perceives as the best thing to do and I'm afraid it's going to be even worse now."

"We'll sleep in shifts," suggested Sam. "That way, one of us can always have an eye on her." Dean nodded. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn't understand why Charleigh continued to disobey them to the point where they could no longer trust her at all. The thought of sleeping in shifts seemed pathetic to him.

"Sounds like a plan," replied Dean with irritation.

"I'm going to try and get a few more hours of sleep," Sam commented as he stood up from the chair and headed into his room. Dean stood up and peered into Charleigh and Ben's room. Charleigh was still asleep in Lisa's arms, but this time Lisa was asleep too. He glanced over at Ben who was also sound asleep in his bed. He headed back out to the couch and flicked on the television. He decided he would take the first shift of making sure Charleigh didn't sneak out. Around noon, Ben finally emerged from the bedroom.

"Hi Dean," he grumbled as he sat down next to him on the couch.

"Hey buddy," replied Dean. "Thanks for trying to convince Charleigh to come back last night."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I just wish I could've convinced her sooner."

"Ben, it's really important for us all to keep a close eye on her for the next week," Dean stated. "Something big is going down and she could potentially be in a lot of danger if she leaves the house. If you notice anything suspicious with her, please tell us," Dean stated sternly, but gently.

"Sure Dean," replied Ben.

"Traitor," snapped Charleigh from her doorway as she peered out at them in the Living Room. Both Dean and Ben looked up at her quickly, surprised by her presence.

"No Charleigh," replied Dean sternly. "He's going to do what I ask him to do. Something you haven't learned yet." Charleigh rolled her eyes with irritation.

"You think you are so perfect Dean," she stated as she stepped into the Living Room. Dean's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ben, can you excuse us?" he asked. Ben nodded and jumped up from the couch.

"Why? So you can punish me for disobeying you?" she questioned angrily as Dean glared at her. "Go ahead Dean because I don't care and I will be gone the first chance I get. That's a promise. You and Sam have lied to me for months now, making me think that I really was part of your family and that you cared about me. I should've known better than to trust you. I mean, you are related to John Winchester and he felt the same way about me." Dean stood up from the couch and approached her.

"Charleigh, Nora filled your head with lies," he stated firmly as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't touch me!" she cried out as she stepped away forcefully. "Don't you ever touch me again!" Dean was caught off guard by her reaction and couldn't decide if he was angry or hurt by her response.

"Charleigh!" interrupted Lisa's voice. She turned abruptly to see Lisa standing in the doorway. "These are your brothers," she said reassuringly. "They have been taking care of you and defending you for months now. How can you question their love for you?" Charleigh paused and quickly thought back to the last few months. She always referred to them as the best months of her life, but now all she could think about was the fact that they were all lies and that her brothers had their own agenda from the start.

"Stay out of it Lisa," Charleigh snapped angrily. Sam was woken by the ruckus and he too headed into the Living Room.

"That's enough Charleigh," warned Dean. "I know you are angry, but that doesn't give you a free pass to be disrespectful." Charleigh glared back at Dean and then turned and looked at Sam.

"Ugh!" she huffed angrily. "Why are you keeping me here like a prisoner?!" Sam approached her and grabbed her hand gently, only to have Charleigh rip it from his grasp. "Don't touch me!" she cried. She turned and ran for her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. As soon as she was inside, she looked up to find Ben sitting on his bed playing on her game boy. "That's mine!" she demanded as she snatched it from his hands. "Don't touch my things again!"

"Wow," sighed Ben. "Why are you being so mean?"

"Shut up!" she snapped.

"Get over yourself Charleigh," he sighed as he stood up and headed for the door. As he reached for the door handle, he turned and looked at her. He felt bad for her, but he was also annoyed with her. "I'm sorry you are feeling betrayed, but don't you remember the research you did on the Spirit Killers? It said that they would say or do anything to make you feel sad and depressed. Why would you believe a Spirit Killer over your own brothers?" Charleigh placed her game boy on the bed and looked up at him thoughtfully for a moment.

"I don't know," she finally responded. "I just do." Charleigh turned and climbed under the covers of her bed. She buried her face in her pillow and began crying. She felt like nothing made sense anymore and she felt like she was living with a houseful of strangers. Ben left the room and headed into the Living Room.

"What's going on in there?" asked Dean when he noticed Ben.

"She's crying," he replied as he took a seat on the couch next to his Mother. "She seems so angry. I hope she gets back to herself soon," he sighed.

"Us too," replied Sam disappointedly.

"I feel like we're back to square one again with her," commented Dean as he stood up from the couch. "I'll be back. Charleigh and I are going to have a little talk." Dean headed into Charleigh's bedroom, closing the door behind him. He sat down next to her on the bed and pulled the blankets away from her head. "Sit up Charleigh," he ordered gently. Charleigh rustled around under the covers. "Now Charleigh," he demanded. She pulled herself into a sitting position and looked over at Dean. "I know Nora messed with your head and I know things are really confusing for you right now, but you are surrounded by people who care about you and love you." Charleigh sat silently and listened to his words. "The Angels and Dark Lighters are going to war. Matthew is dead and Cas is afraid that the Dark Lighters will come after you if they find out that you killed him. We need to keep you here, where it's safe, until the war is over."

"I deserve to die," she commented.

"Stop talking like that," Dean ordered sternly. "Giving up is not an option."

"Why do you even care?" she questioned dismissively.

"Because you are our pain in the ass little sister and we would do anything for you," he stated. "Like it or not Charleigh, we love you and we care about you and we're not about to let you give up." Charleigh looked away from him and sighed. Dean reached out and took her chin and adjusted it so she was looking at him again. "There are going to be some new rules around here," he stated sternly. "Until we can trust you again, you will not leave our sight. Ben will be moving into Sam's room and Sam will be sharing a room with you. If you want to go to another part of the cabin, you need to tell us where you are going and one of us will go with you."

"No way," huffed Charleigh angrily. "You guys are treating me like a prisoner!"

"That's the way it has to be," Dean stated firmly. "We don't trust you and we need to make sure you are safe."

"What if I have to use the friggin bathroom?" she demanded angrily as she shifted uncomfortably on the bed

"That is the one place you can have privacy," Dean replied. Charleigh was angry, but she decided not to react, not yet anyway. She was surprised that solitary confinement was her only punishment and didn't want to push Dean any further. She knew he meant business and that he wouldn't take much more of her attitude. Dean went to stand up from her bed, then stopped and turned back toward her with a stern look on his face. "And Charleigh, this cannot happen again. You cannot take matters into your own hands and take off in the middle of the night. Are we clear?"

"Yes," she mumbled. Dean nodded in approval.

"You're punishment starts now," he stated sternly. "Get up, we're going out to the Living Room," he ordered sternly.

"Ugh," huffed Charleigh as she stood up from her bed and followed him out of the room. She knew this wasn't going to last long before she started throwing around an attitude.


	73. Chapter 73

_**Who out there is still reading? :-) Just curious! Have a great day!**_


	74. Chapter 74

_**WOW! :-) I didn't realize so many of you were still reading! I hope I can continue to please you all! Thank you soooooooooooooooo much! :-) :-) ;-)**_

Charleigh threw herself on the couch on and crossed her arms over her chest. She sat there and glanced around at everyone in the room. She couldn't bear the thought of being "trapped" inside the house for much longer. She watched as Sam and Dean put sigils and demon traps around the cabin. They finished up by salting the windows and doors. "No one leaves the house until further notice," Dean stated firmly as he turned around and looked from Charleigh to Ben.

"Hmph," sighed Charleigh. "If you wanted me in solitary confinement, you should've just sent me to jail," she complained. She became annoyed when Sam and Dean exchanged glances and smiled at her remark. "Is it all right if I use the bathroom?" she asked in a patronizing tone.

"Sure," replied Sam. She headed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She closed the toilet seat and sat down. Her head started pounding and Nora's words began echoing in her mind. "You are evil. You are evil. You are evil." The words were on a constant repeat in her head.

"Stop," mumbled Charleigh as she grabbed her head. "I am not evil!" she cried when the words didn't stop. "Stop!"

"Charleigh!" called Dean as he banged on the door. "Open the door!" Charleigh buried her head in her lap and rocked back and forth. She tried thinking of something different, but it didn't work. The door flung open beside her and Dean appeared with Sam close behind. Charleigh barely flinched and didn't look up at them.

"I'm not evil!" she cried. The scene was heartbreaking for both Sam and Dean. "Stop! I'm not!" she shouted. Dean crouched down on the floor in front of her and grabbed her hands.

"Charleigh!" boomed Dean's voice. Charleigh was able to snap out of it and looked up worriedly at Dean. "You're not evil," he said gently as tears came to his eyes. "You're not." Tears started to fall from her eyes as she instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around Dean. Dean wrapped his arms around her, relieved she was able to trust him to comfort her. Sam swallowed hard and watched worriedly from the doorway. He feared this was only the beginning of a long road ahead for Charleigh. Charleigh looked up at Dean and then quickly pulled her arms away from him.

"I'm fine now," she stated coldly as she stood up and stepped over his knee. She glanced up at Sam in the doorway and then brushed past him. "Where do you want me to go?" she asked with annoyance as she turned back around and looked at Sam.

"The Living Room's fine," replied Sam.

"Can I just go and get my game boy first?" she asked.

"Yeah," replied Sam as he followed behind her to the bedroom. Dean stood up from the floor and headed out of the bathroom.

"Is she all right?" asked Lisa as she appeared in front of him.

"I don't know," he sighed worriedly. "She seems so broken and I have no idea how to help her," Dean frowned.

"I'm so sorry Dean," she said gently as she took his hands.

"This is all my fault," he sighed angrily. "I knew something was going on and I didn't intervene when I should have."

"Dean, you can't blame yourself for this," Lisa said gently.

"It is my fault," he stated firmly as he pulled his hands from her grip.

"This sucks," Charleigh stated with annoyance as she brushed past Lisa and Dean. She threw herself on the couch and placed her game boy in front of her face. "Just let me know when you want me to move to another location," she mumbled under her breath. Frustrated with her remarks, Dean pulled the game boy from her hands and sat down next to her. She immediately sat upright and turned abruptly in his direction.

"You're right, this does suck," he ground out angrily. "But you're the one who wandered off in the middle of the night and you're the one that we cannot trust. If keeping you safe means keeping an eye on you 24/7, then that is what we are going to do," he stated sternly. "You can be angry all you want, but you have yourself to thank." Charleigh glared at him. "So you can stop the patronizing remarks and do as you're told."

"I hate you," she stated angrily as she continued to glare at him.

"And you can continue to hate me all you want too," he stated sternly, her words definitely making an impact on him, but wasn't about to let her know. "It's still not going to change anything."

"Fine," she sighed as she reached across him and snatched her game boy from the other side of him. That night, Sam moved into Ben's bed and sat with his laptop while Charleigh slept in the bed beside him. They decided that Dean would take over in the early morning hours. **_Charleigh woke up in the middle of the night and peered over to find Sam asleep with his laptop still perched on his lap. She contemplated an escape, but quickly changed her mind when a knocking noise on her bedroom window frightened her. She stood up on her bed and peered out the window. She saw several figures outside her window marching in a circle, with balls of fire above their hands. She watched in horror as they all turned in her direction and raised their balls of fire above their heads. They all pointed at her with their free hands and then launched their fire in her direction._** "NO!" she cried out, startling Sam who was doing research on his laptop. He jumped out of his bed and was instantly by her side. "They're going to kill us!" she cried.

"Charleigh, wake up," Sam said as she shook her gently. Charleigh opened her eyes to find Sam peering down at her. "You're dreaming," he said gently as he rubbed her forehead.

"No, no, they're here!" she cried frightenedly. "I saw them outside my window!" Dean and Lisa appeared in her bedroom. Sam took her hands in an attempt to soothe her, but she pulled them away abruptly. "They're out there!" Charleigh began to shake uncontrollably. Lisa went over to her and climbed into the bed with her. She put her arm around her and Charleigh wrapped her arms around her waist, clutching her tightly.

"It's ok," Lisa said soothingly as she rubbed the back of her head. "You're safe Charleigh. No one is going to hurt you." Dean was relieved to see that Charleigh allowed Lisa to comfort her. Sam stood up from his position next to the bed and headed over to Dean.

"She had a dream that someone was here to kill her," Sam sighed. "I'm worried for her Dean."

"Me too," replied Dean sadly.


	75. Chapter 75

_**Hi everyone, I kinda have a plan of how I want to end this and then I was thinking, maybe a sequel? What do you all thin****k?**_

The next morning there was a knock on the front door of the cabin. Sam peered through the window to find a young woman in her late twenties/early thirties standing on the porch, She was holding a clipboard and dressed professionally in a long, blue skirt and a patterned blouse that matched. Her brown hair was pulled back in a bun and she was wearing 70's style glasses. "Who is it?" asked Dean, still dressed in his flannel pajama bottoms and t-shirt. Dean stood alongside Sam and looked out the small window. "She looks harmless," he commented as he cracked open the door. "Can I help you?" he asked when she noticed the door had opened.

"Oh hi, yes, my name is Sylvia Dawkins and I'm from Child Protective Services," she announced as she clutched her clipboard to her chest. "We had an anonymous call that a child was being mistreated here." Dean raised his eyebrows and then turned and looked at Sam, giving him a nod to take over. Dean knew he would be able to remain calm.

"No, mam," replied Sam. The woman peered around Sam's shoulder and gasped when she saw the sigils spray painted on the wall. Sam tensed when he saw her reaction.

"Well, are there children living here?" she asked in a professional tone. As she asked the question, Ben wandered from his room, still in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, I see that there are," she commented before Sam had a chance to respond. "Can I please come in and verify that my concerns are unwarranted?" she asked.

"This really isn't a good time," Sam replied nervously.

"I need to verify that this child is safe," the woman declared with an annoyed tone to her voice. Charleigh could hear voices coming from the Living Room and peered out. The woman saw Charleigh and became even more forceful. "I just have a few questions for you and the children," she stated.

"Listen, Ms. Dawkins," interrupted Dean as he nudged Sam out of the way. "You are not coming into my house without a search warrant, so I suggest that you stop badgering us." The woman sighed angrily and glared at Dean.

"Don't worry sir, I will be back with a search warrant and a few police officers," she announced as she turned and stepped off of the porch.

"Dammit!" yelled Dean as he spun around and looked at Sam. "We need to leave or they will come and take Charleigh and Ben. She saw the sigils; I can only imagine what she thought they were." Dean paced the Living Room for a moment. "Who the hell called Child Protective Services?" he demanded out loud. A little cough came from Charleigh's room and both Dean and Sam turned to face her. They knew immediately by the smug expression on her face that she was the culprit. "What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded as he approached her quickly, causing Charleigh to jump back in surprise.

"Dean, this isn't the time," Sam mentioned as he stepped between Charleigh and Dean. "We need to get out of here and quick." Dean nodded and went to find Lisa. He quickly explained the situation and within minutes they had the cabin picked up. "Get dressed," ordered Sam as he tossed a clean sweatshirt and jeans to Charleigh as she lay on the couch reading her Kindle.

"In a minute," she replied nonchalantly with her face buried in her Kindle. Dean watched the interaction as he stepped in from the outside. He approached Charleigh quickly and grabbed the Kindle and handed it to Sam. He then reached down and picked up Charleigh and threw her over his shoulder.

"We don't have time for this nonsense," he said angrily as he carried her out the door in her pajamas.

"Let me go!" she demanded as she banged her fists against Dean's back. Dean reached up and gave her a hard smack to her bottom. "Ow!" she cried.

"Keep it up and there will be plenty more where that came from," he warned sternly. Lisa saw them coming and opened the door to the Impala. Dean set Charleigh inside, in the middle, and buckled her seat while Ben and Lisa climbed in on each side of her. Charleigh crossed her arms angrily across her chest. She watched unhappily as they drove away from the cabin. "Where to?" Dean asked as he turned to Sam.

"Bobby's?" questioned Sam.

"Yeah, I guess that's our only option about now," replied Dean.

"I'll call him to let him know we are on our way," replied Sam as he patted his coat pocket looking for his cell phone. Dean looked back in his rearview mirror at Charleigh in the backseat. She was looking back up at him with a smug look on her face. "We are only trying to keep you safe," he said to her as he shook his head in disapproval. "That was a rotten thing to do to us." Charleigh could see the disappointment in his face and felt bad. She looked down silently at her lap.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled under her breath, but loud enough for Sam and Dean to hear. Sam turned around in his seat to face her.

"Regardless what you think, Dean and I would do anything for you Charleigh," Sam said disappointedly. "Do you really feel like you're being mistreated?" he questioned.

"I don't know," she mumbled, without looking up at him. "Sometimes, yeah…I mean, you guys spank me and now I can't go anywhere without your permission. It's not fair."

"There's a difference between a punishment and mistreatment," Dean ground out from the front seat. "So let me get this straight, you don't like us punishing you so you called Child Protective Services? Do you really feel like you need their protection from us?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"Charleigh, I have never seen Sam or Dean mistreat you," Lisa commented from beside her.

"Stay out of it," Charleigh replied rudely. Dean found himself becoming increasing more angry with her attitude and her remarks. He knew she was in a fragile state and wasn't sure how to address her behavior, but he wasn't sure he would be able to let it continue much longer either.

"Watch the attitude," Sam warned, still facing her from his seat. Sam turned back around and looked at Dean and sighed. He was annoyed. He couldn't believe she had the audacity to call Child Protective Services and now, because of her, they were out in the open and could easily be a target for the Dark Lighters. Cas specifically told them to stay put and now they were an easy prey. Sam found himself becoming more and more angrier. They continued to drive in silence until Cas appeared in the front seat between Sam and Dean. Dean swerved slightly in surprise.

"I thought I told you to stay put," Cas said.

"We had an emergency arise," replied Dean.

"You need to take the next right," Cas ordered. "The Dark Lighters know where you are." Dean took a shark right onto a dirt road. "Go to the end, there is an abandoned house, go inside and quickly protect yourselves with the Sigil of Dark Light." Dean sped quickly down the dirt road. "The angels are assembling and we are preparing to fight, but right now Charleigh could be in immediate danger." He stopped abruptly in front of a dilapidated old house. Sam, Cas, and Dean rushed Lisa and the kids inside and quickly began to prepare the house to ward off the Dark Lighters. They all huddled into a small, dark room. Cas looked around and examined the sigils. "You will be safe here. Do not leave this room. The angels will be here soon to help." Cas turned and directed his attention to Charleigh. "Whatever happens, DO NOT leave this room." he ordered and then disappeared.


	76. Chapter 76

_**Here's one more since I won't be able to update tomorrow night!**_

They waited quietly as the wind began to pick up outside. The old house began to creak and shake from the ferocity of the wind. Charleigh was crouched down in the corner of the room with Ben by her side and Lisa next to him. Sam and Dean walked the perimeter of the room restlessly with their weapons ready and waiting. "Charleigh Winchester!" called a woman's deep voice from outside. Charleigh flinched at her voice and grasped onto Ben tightly. Ben reached out and took her hand.

"It's going to be ok," he said reassuringly. Charleigh looked around at Ben, then Lisa, and then at Sam and Dean. She felt bad for putting them all into this situation. She was pretty sure everyone hated her by now. Charleigh put her head on Ben's shoulder.

"Thank you Ben," she whispered.

"Charleigh Winchester, come out here now and no one else gets hurt!" the voice snarled from outside the house. They could hear the voice fairly clearly since some of the boards and insulation were missing from around the house.

"Stay put," Dean ordered as he turned to look at Charleigh. Charleigh nodded her head and continued to hold Ben's hand tightly.

"Sam and Dean Winchester," the same voice declared. "Send the little traitor out and we won't burn the house down." Sam and Dean quickly exchanged worried glances. They looked back at Lisa and the kids.

"Let me go out," Charleigh pleaded as she jumped up from the corner of the room. "This is my fault and I won't let anyone else get hurt."

"Sit your ass down!" Dean demanded. "You're staying put!" Charleigh hesitated and contemplated running for the door. Sensing her hesitation, Sam walked over and placed himself in front of the door. She slowly backed toward the wall and sat down again next to Ben. "Move to the center of the room," Dean ordered, deciding it would be safer in case they did indeed set the house on fire. They quickly moved to where Dean ordered them to.

"You have two minutes!" the voice echoed throughout the room.

"I'm going out," Dean declared.

"I'll be right behind you," replied Sam.

"You guys stay here, no matter what, Cas will be back soon," Dean stated as he pushed open the door to the room. He headed out into another room of the house with Sam by his side. He could see through the cracks in the walls. There were hundreds of Dark Lighters surrounding the house. They were all wearing black robes with attached black hoods over their heads.

"There's no way we can take them all," Sam said worriedly.

"No, but we can buy some time," Dean replied. "Are you with me?"

"Always," Sam replied as he pulled the knife from his belt loop. "Let's do it." Fearlessly, they opened the front door of the house and were in awe by the number of Dark Lighters. One of the Dark Lighters stepped ahead of the rest and approached the porch where Dean and Sam were standing. Her face was mostly covered by the robe so her features were unrecognizable.

"Where's the kid?" she demanded in a deep voice.

"Leave her be, she's just a child," Sam replied.

"Very well then," she hissed. "Burn it down!" she ordered. Suddenly, hundreds of Angels and White Lighters began appearing behind the Dark Lighters. The Dark Lighters turned to face the Angels and White Lighters. Meanwhile, hearing the order to burn the house down, Charleigh ran from the room. She spotted Sam and Dean blocking the front door, so she went directly to the side door. When she pulled on the side door, it fell off of the hinges and fell to the floor, making a loud crashing noise. Sam and Dean turned instantly toward her direction.

"Oh shit," sighed Charleigh as she took off running out the side door.

"I'll get her," Sam said quickly as he ran back through the house and out the side door. He watched as Charleigh ran into a heavily wooded area with two Dark Lighters taking notice. They too began chasing after her. He quickly caught up to one of the Dark Lighters and took him out with the Apathe knife from behind. He continued to run in the direction of the rustling leaves and breaking twigs. Meanwhile, Dean watched as the fight against good and evil began. He headed back into the room with Lisa and Ben. Sitting down on the floor with them, he wrapped his arms around each of them. The only thing he could do now was to wait. Sam stopped abruptly when he saw Charleigh standing in the distance. A few yards away from her stood a Dark Lighter with a crossbow pointed in her direction. He crept quietly alongside them and then stepped into the line of fire, standing directly in front of Charleigh. "Leave her alone," ordered Sam. Sam motioned from behind for Charleigh to come closer to him. Charleigh obeyed and Sam held out the Apathe knife for her to take from his hand. Charleigh quickly grabbed it and clutched it tightly.

"Move!" demanded the Dark Lighter as he aimed his arrow in Sam's direction.

"She's just a kid," Sam declared angrily.

"She's a murderer," he growled. "Now move!" A loud noise in the distance startled the Dark Lighter and he jumped, causing his arrow to release from his crossbow. The arrow connected with Sam's stomach, causing him to fall backward onto the ground.

"No!" cried Charleigh as she quickly pulled the arrow from Sam's stomach. She pulled her hoodie off and pushed it firmly against his stomach and then stood up to face the Dark Lighter. She held the knife tightly behind her back, shaking with fear, mostly for Sam. The Dark Lighter stepped closer to her.

"Maybe I'll take you back with me and let the majority decide your fate," he snarled as he reached out to grab her arm.

"Never!" she cried as she launched the knife into his stomach. He stumbled backward and then his body was completely engulfed in flames. Moments later there were a pile of ashes on the ground. Charleigh quickly turned to Sam. She kneeled on the ground beside him and gasped at the amount of blood that had soaked her hoodie. "Sam," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Sam, please be all right. Please." Sam reached out and grabbed her hand. She could feel him trembling and could see him gasping for air. "Cas, I need you!" cried Charleigh. Within seconds, Cas was by her side. "Please Cas, please save him," pleaded Charleigh as she jumped to her feet and grabbed Cas' hands. Cas looked down at Sam and could see the wound was life threatening. He kneeled down beside him and placed his fingers on his head. Sam's gasps slowly returned to steady breathing. "Is he all right?" asked Charleigh worriedly.

"He will be," replied Cas.

"Thank you Cas," Charleigh sobbed as she kneeled by Sam's side again.

"I need to go back to the fight," Cas stated. "Once Sam is ready, you both should go back to the house."

"Ok," replied Charleigh as she watched Cas disappear. She turned back toward Sam to find him sitting up and she threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed. Sam put his arms around her in return. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

"Did you expect any different?" he replied groggily. "Like I said, we would do anything for you Charleigh." Sam's actions and words gave Charleigh more reassurance. She wanted to believe in them and she wanted things to go back to the way they were before Nora messed with her head, but she didn't know how. "Come on," said Sam as he stood up. "Let's get back to the house to make sure Dean, Lisa, and Ben are safe."


	77. Chapter 77

_**Hi! Did you miss me yesterday? :-) I'm going to be wrapping this story up very soon and I think you'll really like the ending I have planned!**_

Sam picked up the Apathe knife from the ground and turned to make sure Charleigh was with him. He took her hand and led her back through the woods. Once they were close to the house, they saw that the fight had moved farther away into an open field about 300 yards from the house. Sam led Charleigh back through the side door and into the room where Dean, Lisa, and Ben were hiding. Dean instantly jumped up from the floor and approached them. He immediately noticed Sam's blood-soaked shirt. "You're hurt!" he gasped.

"I'm fine," replied Sam as he put his hands up. "I was hit with an arrow, but Cas healed me." Dean sighed with relief and then glared over at Charleigh.

"Are you all right?" he asked with disappointment to his voice. Charleigh glanced up at him, frowned, and nodded her head. "Good. Take a seat," he ordered as he pointed to where Lisa and Ben were sitting. She took a seat next to Lisa without saying a word. They continued to sit in silence while Sam and Dean paced the perimeter of the room, waiting and hoping that the angels were successful. Hours later, Cas finally appeared in the room. Everyone directed their attention to him immediately, hoping he had good news. His clothes were torn and tattered. Mud and dust covered his face, hands, and clothes.

"We have defeated the Dark Lighters," he announced proudly. "The last five retreated and agreed to leave the White Lighters and Angels alone." He then directed his attention to Charleigh. "They have also agreed to leave you alone," he said with a slight smile. Tears immediately came to Charleigh's eyes as Lisa wrapped her arms around her in excitement. Sam and Dean smiled in response to the news. Dean approached Cas and gave him a hug.

"Thank you Cas," he said happily. "This is great news."

"Yes, it is," replied Cas. "Lisa and Ben are also safe to go back home. There shouldn't be any more threats to them and I will check on them frequently." Charleigh swallowed hard at Cas' words. She didn't want Lisa and Ben to leave. She reached for Lisa's hand and clutched it tightly.

"Thank God," sighed Lisa. "Thank you Castiel," she smiled. Lisa's words confused Charleigh and she released her hand. She stood up from the floor and moved to a different location in the room. She leaned up against the wall and crossed her arms across her chest, waiting for everyone to get ready to go. She watched as they continued to speak with Cas for a few more minutes until Dean finally announced that they should head out and find a motel for the night, and then go to Lisa and Ben's in the morning.

"Let's go Charleigh," said Sam motioning to her to follow them from the room. She reluctantly followed them. They climbed back into the Impala and sat for a few minutes while Sam googled the nearest motel. Lisa was excited as she talked about yoga and shopping, as well as all the other things she enjoyed that she missed. Charleigh became more and more annoyed as Lisa rambled on. She was relieved when they finally pulled into the parking lot of the motel. Since the nightly rate was so reasonable, Sam and Dean rented adjoining rooms for the night so everyone could be comfortable. Charleigh climbed into one of the beds and pulled her Kindle from her duffel bag. Lisa and Ben headed into the adjoining room to take showers and get ready for bed. Dean took a seat across from Sam at a small, round table in the corner of the room. He looked over at Charleigh. He felt bad for her, but he knew he had to address her behavior. She had done too many reckless things in the last few days just to let her go.

"Charleigh, put your Kindle down and come over here," demanded Dean. She glanced up at them at the table and knew she was in for another lecture. She sighed with annoyance.

"I already know what you're going to tell me," she replied matter of factly with the Kindle in front of her face.

"Now, Charleigh," demanded Dean. She looked up again and then placed her Kindle on the bed. She slid off of the bed and trudged over to the table. She sat down in between Sam and Dean with her elbows on the table and her chin resting on the backs of her hands. She glanced from Sam to Dean. "I don't even know where to start Charleigh," Dean said disappointedly. "You made a lot of selfish and reckless decisions these last few days." Charleigh was silent as she lowered her gaze to the table. "You put yourself and everyone else in danger," he said sternly.

"We've been trying hard to be patient and understanding," commented Sam. Charleigh continued to be dismissive to their words, and kept her gaze fixated on the table. Watching her ignore them, made Dean even angrier. His patience was extremely thin and he knew he had to get her attention one way or another.

"You know what, I'm done talking," Dean said sternly as he stood up from the table and pulled Charleigh's chair back away from it. She reactively sat up straight. "Stand up," he ordered. Charleigh peered up at him and hesitated. Dean placed his hands under her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. Once Charleigh was steady on her feet, he sat back down and pulled her in front of him. Knowing what was about to happen, Charleigh tried to pull herself from his grip, but she couldn't. Once she stopped struggling, Dean began speaking. "We know Nora did a horrible thing to you, but you still need to be held accountable for the irresponsible decisions that you continue to make," Dean lectured sternly. "We didn't want to have to do this Charleigh, but you have left us with no other choice."

"No, no," she pleaded. "Please, I know what I did was wrong, please don't spank me Dean." Dean hesitated for a moment and looked over a Sam.

"If you can't do it, then I will," Sam commented. Charleigh turned her head and looked at Sam pleadingly, but she could tell by the expression on his face that there was no reasoning with him. Dean quickly focused his attention back to Charleigh and pulled her over his lap. Charleigh reached down and clutched the jeans around his calf in order to keep herself steady. Sam got up from the table and went to a different area of the room. Dean quickly pulled down her pajama bottoms and began her punishment. Sam waited anxiously as he heard Charleigh's cries becoming louder and louder, and then finally it was over and Charleigh was sobbing quietly. As soon as Dean pulled her bottoms back up, Charleigh slid off of his lap and ran to the nearest bed. She crawled in on her stomach and pulled the covers over herself completely. She buried her head in the pillow and sobbed. She was pretty sure she would never to speak to them again.

"That went well," sighed Dean with frustration, as he stood up from the table.

"I hate you both," mumbled Charleigh from under the covers. "And I'm never going to speak to you again." She pulled the blanket down and turned on her side to face them with tears running down her cheeks. "When we bring Lisa home, I want to stay with her. If Lisa doesn't want me, then I want to find a foster family. I'm tired of this life and I'm tired of both of you." She pulled the blanket back over her head and continued to cry.


	78. Chapter 78

_**We're getting closer and it's making me sad! :-(**_

About an hour later, after showering and picking up take out at the local diner, Dean headed back into the motel room to find Charleigh still huddled under the covers of the bed. He rubbed his head in disappointment and set the food on the table. "Has she said anything?" asked Dean as he looked over at Sam, who was sitting on the other bed with his laptop in his lap.

"Nothing," replied Sam as he glanced over at her and shrugged her shoulders.

"All right," sighed Dean as he walked across the room and knocked gently on the adjoining room. He heard Lisa's voice from the other side telling him to come in. He pushed open the door to find Ben on one bed and Lisa on the other, watching television.

"The food's here," he announced as he went over to Lisa and sat down next to her on the bed. "Hey Ben, why don't you head over and start eating?" suggested Dean as he looked over at the boy, who seemed so relaxed and content.

"Sure Dean," smiled Ben as he slid off the bed and wandered from the room.

"How is she?" asked Lisa as she put her arm around Dean's shoulders, pulling him closer to her. Dean sighed and leaned back against the pillows that were stacked up behind them.

"She hates us," he replied sadly. "We can't get through to her and now she doesn't even want to stay with us. She said she wanted to live with you or she wanted to find foster parents." Lisa took Dean's hands in her other hand.

"I'm sorry," she said gently. Dean nodded his head, deep in thought on what his next move with Charleigh would be. "She needs more time to heal," she mentioned gently. "She's been through a lot and we still don't know the extent of the damage that was done to her by Nora."

"I know," Dean replied. "It's just so hard; I can feel her drifting farther and farther away."

"She'll be back," Lisa replied optimistically. "And until then, I would be more than happy to take care of her, for as long as you or she needs me to." Dean looked at Lisa with surprise. Her generous words just verified to Dean why he loved Lisa as much as he did. He smiled at her lovingly. Dean went to reply, but Lisa cut him off. "I know what you're going to say. And yes, I know what I would be getting myself into and I'm confident that I can help her." Dean sighed with hesitation. "Let me help you Dean and let me help her."

"Thank you," he replied, still hesitant. "But she's a challenge and I'm afraid….."

"I can handle her," interrupted Lisa as she put her finger on his lips. "I have been a single Mom for 9 years now and I know a thing or two about raising a child," she smiled.

"All right," he sighed. "Let me talk to Sam." Dean gave her a quick on her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied. They were quickly interrupted by commotion from the other room. Dean jumped up quickly and ran into the room to find pillows and blankets all over the floor. He looked over at Sam who had Charleigh on his lap with his arms around her tightly from behind.

"Let me go!" cried Charleigh as she tried to pry Sam's arms off of her.

"What happened?" asked Dean as he turned to Ben who was sitting at the table beside him.

"I think she had a bad dream," replied Ben sadly. "She just jumped out of the bed and started ripping the blankets and pillows off." Dean's first reaction was to try to comfort her, but he knew it would probably just make the situation worse. Lisa touched his arm gently and then headed past him and over to Sam and Charleigh. She crouched down in front of them and put her arms out to Charleigh.

"You can let her go," Lisa said gently to Sam. Sam hesitated, but once he felt Charleigh stop struggling, he released her. Charleigh slid from his lap and went to Lisa for consolement. Dean watched helplessly and was hit with the realization that maybe the best thing for her was to stay with Lisa. Sam stood up from the bed and went and stood by Dean's side.

"We need to talk," mentioned Dean to Sam. Dean motioned for Sam to follow him into the other room and told him about the discussion he had with Lisa. "Do you have any thoughts about it?" asked Dean once he finished.

"I don't know Dean," he hesitated. "I feel like we would just be giving up on her. I mean, she's our sister, our family."

"I know," Dean replied. "I had the same thought, but we can't help her Sam. She doesn't want us to." Dean began pacing the room, frustrated with the circumstances that led them there. "She doesn't trust us and I don't know how to gain that trust back. I feel like right now the only thing we can do is give her what she wants. And unfortunately, she doesn't want us." Tears came to Dean's eyes at the thought of leaving Charleigh behind. She had become such an important part of their lives and he couldn't imagine life without her. He knew he was her "brother", but he always felt he had more of an obligation to be her "Dad". He wondered what John Winchester would do in a situation like this and then he shook his head. He knew his Dad would keep the family together for his own selfish reasons, but Dean didn't want to me selfish when it came to Charleigh. He only wanted her to be happy.

"You're right," sighed Sam. "This is probably the best time to do it. She's out of danger and she hasn't received her powers yet, so she can live a normal childhood for a while." Tears came to Sam's eyes. He still couldn't shake the feeling that they were giving up on her and he wasn't sure how Charleigh would perceive it. Would she be happy that they were letting her stay with Lisa? Or, would she feel abandoned by him and Dean? Charleigh's emotions were always all over the place, so it was really hard to tell how she would react. Dean forced a grin and nodded his head. He put his arm around his brother and they headed back into the other room to find Ben and Lisa at the table eating their dinner while Charleigh was lying on the bed staring down at her hamburger. Dean was about to order Charleigh to eat and then stopped himself. He didn't want to cause anymore tension than there already was, so he let it slide and sat down at the table with Lisa and Ben. He looked over at Charleigh thoughtfully and knew he was going to miss his little pain in the ass.


	79. Chapter 79

_**And that's a wrap! Thank you soooooooooooooooo much for reading! I hope I did the ending justice! Please watch for a sequel - coming soon!**_

That same evening, after Lisa and Ben headed over to the other room for bed, Dean decided he would try to talk to Charleigh. She headed out of the bathroom, in her clean pajamas, and climbed into her bed. Dean headed over and sat down on the edge of her bed. "Hey," he said as he reached over and pulled the covers up to her chin. "I just want to talk for a minute."

"Ok," she replied as she looked up, making eye contact him. She thought he looked tired and sad which in return made her feel bad. Her intention was never to hurt him or Sam.

"You can stay with Lisa," he announced as he tried to fight back the tears that were forming in his eyes. Charleigh's eyes widened in surprise. She never imagined that they would give in to her requests. "Is that what you want?" he questioned when he didn't get an immediate response from her. Charleigh hesitated. She knew if she said 'yes' that she would hurt him, but if she said 'no' she would be lying.

"Dean, I…..," she began. "I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you or Sam, but yes, I would like to stay with Lisa." Dean was saddened to hear her say it. To him, it just verified that she didn't feel anything for him or Sam anymore and it hurt. Dean swallowed hard and nodded his head. He quickly stood up and walked away, so Charleigh wouldn't see the tears fill his eyes. Charleigh watched him for a minute, but then turned over on her side so she could get some sleep. The next morning they packed up and were on the road once again. They decided that they would try to drive straight to Battle Creek, Michigan stopping only for bathroom breaks and food. Charleigh and Ben spent most of the time playing video games in the backseat. Sam researched more cases on his laptop since he and Dean would be able to get on with their normal lives once again. Dean looked back at Charleigh periodically in the backseat. He knew he was going to miss seeing her back there. Late that night, they finally arrived at Lisa's house. Both Ben and Charleigh were sound asleep in the backseat. Dean carried Charleigh up to the spare bedroom, while Sam carried Ben up to his room. Lisa had a newer, Colonial styled home with a kitchen, family room, and bathroom downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs.

"Goodnight kiddo," Dean whispered as he placed Charleigh in the bed, covered her up, and kissed her forehead. He was watching her sleep when Sam appeared at his side. "I'm going to miss her," commented Dean.

"Me too," replied Sam as he leaned over and kissed her head. The next morning, Bobby called Dean first thing in the morning to request his help on a case. Dean filled him in on what had happened in the last several days and told him that he and Sam would be there as soon as they could to help him out. Bobby was disappointed to hear that Charleigh wouldn't be accompanying them. Lisa woke while Dean was trying to speak to Bobby in a quiet voice from the corner of the bedroom. Dean turned his phone off and climbed back into bed with her.

"We'll probably head out this morning," he mentioned as he put his arm around her. "So, what does this mean for us?" he asked.

"Dean, if there's some rule that says this all has to be either/or, how about we break it? Ben, Charleigh, and I will be here, and you come when you can. Just come in one piece, okay?" she replied.

"Really?" questioned Dean.

"I love you Dean and I know how important your job is to you," she replied. "I'm not going to make you chose. I'll be here for you and I will take care of Charleigh just like she was my own." Dean smiled and gave her a kiss.

"I don't deserve you," he sighed. Later that morning, Sam and Dean were ready to head out. They headed upstairs to let Charleigh know they would be leaving. "We're headed out kiddo," Dean said as he sat down on her bed while she read on her Kindle. She placed her Kindle down and pulled herself into a sitting position. "Behave yourself, ya here? And if you need anything, Sam and I are just a phone call away. Ok?"

"Ok Dean," she replied.

"I'm going to miss you Charleigh," he mentioned sadly.

"Bye Dean," she replied as she extended her hand toward him. "Safe travels." Dean took her hand and then attempted to pull her into a hug, but Charleigh didn't reciprocate. He released her sadly and forced a smile.

"Take care kiddo," he said as he stood up and left her room. He wiped a few tears from his eyes and then motioned for Sam that it was his turn.

"Bye Charleigh," said Sam as he sat down next to her.

"Bye Sam," she replied. "You and Dean stay safe."

"We will and we'll see you soon," he replied with disappointment. "Bye kiddo." Charleigh nodded and watched as he left her room. She stood up from her bed and watched out her large bedroom window which overlooked the front porch. The rain was pouring down and she could faintly see Sam and Dean saying their goodbyes to Lisa and Ben on the porch. She started fidgeting with her charm bracelet and then looked down at it. Her 'sister' charm flashed before her eyes and an aching feeling filled her stomach. She thought back to her first Christmas with Sam and Dean and then suddenly tears began to fall from her eyes. She started to think of other happy moments that she spent with them as they climbed into their car. A wave of emotions consumed her and she found herself banging on the window as they closed the doors to the Impala. Suddenly, she took off running. She ran down the stairs and out the front door into the pouring rain.

"Charleigh!" called Lisa. "Where are you going?!" Charleigh took off running down the sidewalk toward the direction that the Impala had gone. She was completely drenched but it didn't stop her. She needed to see them again. Dean and Sam drove through the suburban neighborhood, their hearts heavy, but relieved that their sister was happy and safe with Lisa. Charleigh rounded a corner and saw the Impala up ahead of her at a stop sign.

"There's some kid out running in the rain," commented Dean as he looked back in his rearview mirror.

"Sam! Dean!" cried Charleigh. Dean looked in his rearview mirror again and then stopped the Impala abruptly.

"Dean, what are you doing?" questioned Sam as he looked over at his brother.

"I think it's Charleigh," he commented as he put the car in park and hopped out. Charleigh smiled as soon as she saw her brother standing outside his car. She picked up her gait in order to get to him faster. "It's her!" called Dean to Sam. Dean took off running toward her. Charleigh leapt into his arms as soon as she reached him.

"I love you Dean," she cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you too kiddo," he replied happily as he held her tightly. Sam appeared beside them and Dean handed her over to him.

"I love you too Sam," she sobbed as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Awe, I love you too Charleigh," Sam replied as he held her tightly in her arms. Charleigh reached one of her arms out for Dean and embraced him in on the hug.

"We're family and family sticks together,' she announced happily. "I love you guys."


	80. Chapter 80

The sequel is up! Check it out and let me know your thoughts/opinions/suggestions! Thanks so much!


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